Why do we need plans and studies?
Plans and studies help us use our limited resources – time and money – in the most effective way. Plans set goals and identify priorities. Studies dig deeper and offer solutions to transportation problems and local issues. They are important tools for building a transportation network that works for everyone – whether they walk, bike, ride, or drive.
The Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) looks 25 years or more into the future, guiding transportation improvements for our area. The MTP defines big-picture goals along with strategies to achieve them. The MTP is informed by traffic and safety data, changes in employment and population, and input from residents and local officials. The MTP helps us determine how we can best improve mobility, safety, and access for everyone – in whatever way they choose to move around our community. The MTP is updated every 5 years and was last updated in 2019. LAMPO will begin updating the MTP in 2023 – looking ahead to the year 2050.
The Bicycle & Pedestrian Master Plan guides how we can make bicycling and walking reasonable, comfortable options for getting around in our region. The plan describes policy changes, new programs, and physical improvements (like new multi-purpose trails). The big-picture goal is to make it easier for everyone to walk and bike by connecting bikeways, sidewalks, and trails all across our community.
The Transportation Improvement Program, or TIP, is a shorter-term list of projects with a four year timeline. Projects in the TIP are ready for some stage of implementation and also have a formal commitment of funding in the next 4 years. In general, these are also the highest-priority projects identified in the MTP. Projects can include roadway retrofits, new construction, bike/pedestrian improvements, studies, plans, and more.
The goal of this project is to continue the city’s efforts to create a trail network across Lexington. Ensuring safe and comfortable options for bicycling and walking will help ease congestion, enhance public health, support local business, and improve the air we breathe.
This project kicked-off with a public input survey in the spring of 2022. Using community feedback and site analysis, the project team will determine the best route for a connection between the Brighton Trail and downtown Lexington along Liberty Road. Specific features and design of the new trail and roadway will depend on public comment, existing development, and resources.
The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) describes what regional transportation planning activities LAMPO and our partners hope to accomplish in the coming year. It lists specific tasks, who is responsible, and how each task will be funded. Tangible outcomes are defined, and a timeline for the year’s activities is also included.
The Participation Plan guides how LAMPO connects with the people that live, work and travel in our community. We use the Participation Plan to find out what transportation issues are most important to the community and what ideas people think best address those issues. The Participation Plan identifies how we at the MPO will engage and inform people in a meaningful way. Especially when we develop plans, projects, and policies.
Got an idea of how we can improve? Email LAMPO staff member Hannah Crepps at hcrepps@lexingtonky.gov.
The Title VI Program Plan is an important document because it describes how LAMPO ensures that everyone has an equal chance to be a part of our work. By following this plan, we make sure all persons have the opportunity to participate in the development of our policies and programs. Got an idea for how we can improve? Email LAMPO staff member Hannah Crepps at hcrepps@lexingtonky.gov. Access the complaint form.
The MPO has created many other plans and studies over the years to better guide how we use our limited resources – time and money. The plans and studies identified below focus on specific areas or corridors (roads) in our area. All of these documents have been completed within the last 5 years. These guiding plans and studies continue shaping conversations and are helping us implement improvements across the Lexington area. For those interested in older efforts and more historical context, check out our archive.
