Paris-Lexington Road - US 62 & US 68 at American Byways by Sherman Cahal

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1829 incorporated the "Maysville and Washington Turnpike Road Company." Washington is a city located approximately 5 miles south of Maysville. One year later, an amendment was made by the legislature to extend the toll road to Paris and Lexington. The Maysville and Lexington Turnpike was established in 1830 as a private toll road linking the Maysville and Lexington.

Construction of the new road followed established trade routes set forth by the Native Americans or "buffalo trace", a term used to recognize large animals that traversed the routes connecting salt licks, mineral springs, and grazing areas. The trace was later named Limestone Road and followed the topography of the region. Surveyors of the Maysvile and Lexington Turnpike straightened the alignment of the new road. The new toll road was opened in 1835 and became the first macadam road in Kentucky. It became a major thoroughfare for stagecoach travelers and U.S. mail distribution. (6) Tollhouses were located near Bedford Pike and Ironworks Road. (14)

While the tollroads were critical to the development of Kentucky's economy early-on, they became hosts of numerous complaints by the 1880s. (14) Poor conditions of the roadway and high tolls caused tollroad wars to erupt on many pikes. Angry citizens revolted against the gatekeepers, raiding, burning, and even dynamiting tollgates. The warring began to cease by the late-1800s as counties began to purchase the tolled facilities and make them free of charge. By 1905, there were no private toll roads in the state. (14)

Before 1910, citizens of the central part of Kentucky used electric interurbans that connected Lexington to Paris, Versailles, Nicholasville, and Georgetown. Along the west side of the pike, railcars shuttled citizens from town to town, with numerous stops along the way. One such visible remnant of that today is the limestone waiting station at the Eleendorf Farm, where James Ben Ali Haggin constructed a station for the farm workers. (14)

Automobile use became more commonplace by the 1930s. In 1934, the Kentucky Traction and Terminal Company filed for bankrupcy, and the 30-ft. right-of-way along the pikes were sold. (14)

In 1920, Kentucky established the Department of Highways, and seven years later, it designated the road from Maysville south to Tennessee US 68, part of the United States Highway System. (14)

Located in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky, the Paris Pike is a 12.5 mile highway between Lexington and Paris travels along some world-renowned horse farms, pasture and agricultural fields, broad tree canopies and miles of stone fences. The Paris Pike corridor alone generated an average of $580 million in tourism every year. (4)

Construction of a widened and safer Paris Pike

Evaluating the Paris Pike Reconstruction Project

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet began a study on widening option for the Paris Pike for safety and capacity reasons. The original design for the widened highway called for a straight shot to Paris from Lexington with a curbed and grassy median. It was fought by the local farmers and conservationists, claiming a four-lane straight-shot highway would be detrimental to the historical and rural character of the land adjacent to the highway. The Paris Pike was listed as one of the nation's most beautiful and historically rich highways. The four-lane straight-shot highway would have a uniform 40-foot median designed to modern highway standards.

In 1977, the Bluegrass Land and Nature Trust spearheaded the opposition to the widened Paris Pike. They filed suit against the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Kentucky Department of Highways to halt the four-lane straight-shot proposal. The basis for their case was a recent nomination of a section of the Paris Pike to the National Register of Historic Places. (6) The Paris Pike Historic District was determined eligible as a single, continuous district that is, "significant as a travel corridor used from the prehistoric times to the present as the distinguishable, distinct part of the Kentucky Bluegrass Region that became the heart of the State's horse-racing, breeding, and related farming industry." The Bluegrass Land and Nature Trust stated that the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that was submitted was incomplete and inaccurate because it did not take into account that the historical property along the route would be irreparably damaged by the Paris Pike improvements. The Trust also made the claim that the state transportation cabinet did not consider horse farming and tourism as businesses and that those businesses would suffer if the improvements were allowed to proceed. (7)

In 1979, the U.S. District Court issued a federal injunction to halt all work on the project. (7) It made a statement that it wanted more consideration of alternative alignments and preservation of the highway's historic significance. As a result, the state canceled the project in 1980. (7)

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By the mid-1980's, congestion was playing a large factor in a large number of accidents along the Paris Pike. A tragic accident in 1985 killed five members of one family - an accident that prompted the state to revive the Paris Pike widening project. Proponents and opponents of the Paris Pike widening project met in 1986, agreeing to work together in order to improve the safety and capacity of the Paris Pike. The injunction was lifted and plans were drawn up six years later. Five alternatives were studied under an Environmental Impact Statement, although each one generally followed the existing Paris Pike alignment. The final recommendation was that the existing road should be widened based on its current alignment. Residents wanted things to be done differently on the construction of the Paris Pike and pushed for preserving characteristics essential to the road's history, as well as the hiring of a landscape architect. (6)

The then-Kentucky Governor Wallace Wilkinson was committed to widening the Paris Pike before leaving office, and was pushing to have the preliminary environmental impact study approved by the Federal Highway Administration. The environmental impact study was approved in 1990. (6) This fueled another debate between those who wanted the highway widened to four-lanes and those who wanted to preserve the cultural landscape along the Paris Pike corridor.

The Corridors Committee of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council hired landscape architect John O. Simonds to review the environmental impact study and make recommendations. Simonds criticized the study and recommended that the original corridor be improved and maintained as a two-lane facility. He also recommended the construction of a two-lane limited access highway that would be constructed along an old railroad right-of-way that is adjacent to the Paris Pike. The combination of the two roads, Simonds believed, would provide the four-lanes needed to meet future traffic projections. This alternative was soon dismissed by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. (8)

In 1990, Bluegrass Tomorrow, a local non-profit advocacy organization, put together a committee of long-time supporters and opponents of the Paris Pike project with a hope of reaching a consensus on how the road should be improved. (9) At this time, the organization hired Joe Passonneau of Washington D.C., a nationally renowned architect and scenic highway engineer, and Tim Jackson, director of transportation planning for Glatting Jackson, a multidisciplinary land design and planning firm based in Orlando, Florida. Both were to serve as consultants on the project. A landscape architect with the National Park Service, Gary Johnson, was also involved. (9) There were still many challenges with the Paris Pike project, however. Historical landmarks, world-renowned thoroughbred farms, and safety - a major concern, all played factors in the widening process. Recommendations for the widened Paris Pike included building the roadway to parkway design standards and, in some cases, diversions of the new roadway away from the existing Paris Pike. These were developed to demonstrate how transportation objectives could be met without damaging the rural landscape. In 1991, the Transportation Cabinet, state historic preservation officer, and other governmental agencies signed a memorandum of agreement for the preservation of scenic and historic resources. (9) Unfortunately, in May of that year, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet published a Record of Decision on "Alternative D," a four-lane highway with a standard 40-foot median designed to interstate geometry.

By this time, the level-of-service for the road had fallen to an F, since the service capacity of the highway was 10-times higher than the state average and simply put, the two-lane Paris Pike was dangerous. (9) The highway had a mix of commuter traffic, high-speed tractor-trailers, slower horse trailers, and even slower farm equipment. There were no shoulders along the Paris Pike and had limited recovery areas and emergency lanes. It also suffered from poor sight distance, insufficient turning radii, steep side slopes that were unprotected, and poor access management.

In order to reach some compromise and address some of the concerns addressed by Bluegrass Tomorrow, a Memorandum of Agreement in 1991 among the state transportation cabinet, the Federal Highway Administration, the National Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the Kentucky State Historic Preservation Office was, "drafted to satisfy Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and outline conditions under which the project could proceed and receive federal money." (6) The Memorandum of Agreement stated that several activities would need to occur before any design or construction on the Paris Pike would take place. A Historical Building Survey and a pictorial archive of the Paris Pike Historic District were required in order to record the existing conditions of the project area. It also called the creation of the Paris Pike Task Force that was to review all design recommendations and provide comments and suggestions throughout the design process. The task force was made up of local governments, citizens, civil engineers, landscape architects, local nature and historic preservation trusts, and other organizations and professionals.

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The Memorandum of Agreement also stated that the design consultants must have demonstrated experience in dealing with sensitive environmental issues and should include a landscape architect with scenic and environmental expertise, as well as a historic preservation specialist. Specific design guidelines were also listed to ensure protection of significant views, rural character, existing vegetation, and existing structures such as rock walls, farm entrances, and buildings. Any stone fences or walls that could not be saved were to be reconstructed. (10)

In November of 1991, the U.S. District Court turned down a request by the federal and state governments to lift portions of the 1979 injunction and denied the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet the ability to select a design task force. (10) The new Governor of 1991, Brereton Jones, endorsed John Simonds' alternative of utilizing the abandoned railroad corridor that paralleled the Paris Pike that would tie Interstate 64/75 in Lexington to the Paris bypass. There was some support for this alignment but this proposal was derailed by It's Our Land Trust, Inc., property owners who would be impacted by the new alignment.

In July of 1992, the then-Lexington Mayor Scotty Baesler appointed a nine-member committee. (10) The Paris Pike Committee comprised representatives from Fayette and Bourbon Counties, and two preservation organizations. This new Committee set forth more specific guidelines for roadway design and land use legislation, stating that was possible to make the highway even more impressive than the current Paris Pike.

After numerous meetings from 1992 to 1993, the committee summarized its key objective of "creating a well designed, scenic and enhanced parkway that is both safe and beautiful, sensitive to preserving the best of which currently exists, to the maximum extent possible, and that once constructed, the road shall be permanently protected from development pressure so as to maintain the truly unique scenic and agricultural character of the area for the long term benefit of adjacent land owners, area residents and tourists." (11)

There were several design specifications, such as a divided roadway with two 12-foot lanes in each direction and 10-foot grass shoulders on the right and 4-feet on the left. (6) The existing roadway, where possible, was to be reused and for a median width that would vary and flow with the contours of the landscape. This would also need to protect existing rock walls and entryways. The Committee also called for minimal cut and fill, a review of all possible guardrail options, integration of observation points, mitigation of conflicts with daily agricultural activities, maximum involvement of the public throughout the design process, and the utilization of state-of-the-art video imaging technology at all meetings, presentations, and workshops. The Committee also stated that the acquisition of easements along the entire length of the parkway be purchased to preserve the rural character of the region and that the creation of a nine-member Corridor Commission would have jurisdiction over land-use development in the district. This report was signed in May of 1993 and endorsed by preservation and conservation groups that had previously fought every other project design. (6)

The injunction was lifted on September 16, 1993, and the State Transportation Cabinet started working with community leaders in Fayette and Bourbon counties on ways to preserve the scenic value and the historic, cultural, and natural resources lining the Paris Pike. (6) State officials and engineers, who in the 1960's tried to build the "new" Paris Pike as a straight shot, had to rebuild the trust of the residents and property owners along the roadway.

"We had to convince them to trust us, that we would work with them, and that we would build a roadway that would take into consideration everything that they thought was important," said Cliff Linkes, who was then project manager for the state Department of Highways. (6)

Planning for the "new" Paris Pike

The design and planning phase of the Paris Pike Widening Project began in May of 1994. (12) The first step in the planning was to identify the landscape of the Paris Pike corridor, delineating them as landscape "districts." A landscape "district" is one that has similar topography, historic land use patterns, vegetation, hydrology, and so forth. In the Paris Pike corridor, there are two separate watersheds, with the segment in Fayette County paralleling the North Elkhorn Creek and its tributaries, while the Bourbon County segment parallels Houston Creek. The corridor was eventually divided up into six landscape "districts." (12) The advisory task force participated in a field tour of the farms within the highway corridor, both by bus and hayrides. This was deemed important because it allowed all parties involved to view first hand the characteristics and beauty that are prevalent in each landscape "district."

An extensive inventory of the natural and cultural features located along the Paris Pike soon followed. Every mile of the Paris Pike corridor project was walked, and information pertaining to vegetation, stone walls, fences, along with historic buildings, agricultural fields, and view sheds were analyzed. Each tree and landform was inventoried a well to assess their health and significance to the Paris Pike. This was required because of the Memorandum of Agreement that was written to avoid and minimize impact to the natural as well as cultural resources in the project. According to the Memorandum of Agreement, each stone fence or wall disturbed by the construction was to be rebuilt. (6)

"Christine Amos, a historic preservation consultant for the project, drew up five different detail drawings that the stonemasons would use to reconstruct them. If something different than the historic design was requested by the property owner, Amos developed a cost estimate to determine the difference between historic reconstruction cost and the cost of the new design. Property owners were required to pay the difference."

-"The Paris-Lexington Road"

Community workshops began in August of 1994, to ensure that the design team knew of the Paris Pike's historical significance, landscape entities, and the interests of the property owners. A "visual preference survey" was also included that began discussions of the kinds of images, roadway and landscape features, that were important to people. An original set of 50 images were presented for the first survey, and another 50 for comparison. (13) Workshops were held for each of the landscape districts, with six different workshops held for each major phase of the planning and design process. These workshops involved one-on-one communication with the design team including electronic machines that displayed roadway alignments in an electronic manner. In an effort to let the residents voice their input on the roadway as much as possible, electronic polling was conducted so that the residents could see simulated road alignments and vote on their favorite. Numerous public workshops, one-on-one communication with the design team,tours, and newsletters kept the residents along the Paris Pike informed about the status of the highway.

Another set of community workshops took place in October of 1994, in order to get feedback on the design team's proposed "zone", defined as an area where four travel lanes for the reconstructed roadway could be located. The "zone" would contain the existing two-lane roadway and the new set of lanes. The boundaries contained alignments that were deemed to be the best location for a new dual-roadway that had minimal disruption to historic, cultural, and environmental features. Aerial photographs with computer-drawn overlays demonstrated what the highway would look like after it was completed.

Other roadways were studied in order to have a "design criteria" for the Paris Pike. Parkway precedents that were studied were the Merritt Parkway, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, Suitland Parkway, Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Blue Ridge Parkway, Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon, and several others. (6) In 1994, the design team for the Paris Pike published a Technical Memorandum to outline their considerations for change in the Paris Pike Corridor. These considerations included how the change would impact the highway's historic significance, outline safety criteria, and develop standards to guide design and development of the parkway.

In 2001, a survey conducted by the Kentucky Transportation Center in the University of Kentucky College of Engineering reported that: (6)

92% thought they had been kept well informed of the project's developments,

74% thought the process had been fair, open, and honest, and

90% thought they had been given adequate opportunity to express their opinions on various issues.

“Paris Pike is an excellent example of a productive collaboration between transportation and historic preservation,” said David Morgan, executive director of the Kentucky Heritage Council. (6)

Design criteria

The roadbed of the new Paris Pike utilizes the existing roadway where possible, crisscrossing as it is needed to avoid sensitive environmental and cultural features. The existing road cross-section of 22 feet of pavement was expanded to 56 feet (28 feet per road with 12-foot travel lanes and two-feet paved shoulders). This was to accommodate faster design speeds as well as comply with AASHTO Green Book safety standards. With the exception of the two terminuses in Paris and Lexington where urban cross-sections are designed to a 45 MPH speed, the Paris Pike has been designed as a rural highway with a 60 MPH design speed. Maximum grades of 4-5% and maximum horizontal curves of 4.75-9.50 degrees were set forth as standards for the new roadway. (6)

The shoulders on the highway were developed with two-feet of asphalt pavement that includes rumble strips, followed by six feet of "reinforced" grass. The reinforcements were crushed rock, clay, and geotextile netting to increase the loading capacity of the shoulder. This was stipulated in the addendum to the Memorandum of Agreement that the Paris Pike have a minimal amount of paved surface in the corridor. (6)

The design team tried to "break the habit of referring tot he land between the roads as the "median," believing that the word median, defined as a uniform strip dividing two sets of directional travel lanes, inaccurately reflects the character of the Paris-Lexington Road construction. The Land Between the Roads varies in width and elevation in order to better respond to variations in the natural and man made landscape. This area generally varies from 14-feet wide in urban areas to 40-feet wide in rural areas." (6)

According to "The Paris-Lexington Road" book, a 30-foot clear zone was recommended in AASHTO's Roadside Design Guide, but some flexibility was needed in order to preserve the trees and stone fences along the route. If any objects or obstacles were in the clear zone, guardrails were installed between it and the roadway. In some urban sections, the clear zone was only 10 feet. (6)

The design team's objective in the motorists views of the scenic beauty that surrounds the parkway was to maintain or enhance sweeping panoramic views over the adjacent farmland. In areas where there are steep bank cuts, denser "hedgerow" planting creates a canopy in keeping with the historic character. The amount of cut and fill was minimized along the corridor by working with the natural topography of the land.

"The concept for the project's planting plan was based upon vegetation patterns in the landscape that were characteristic of the natural and cultural conditions of the region. Small groves and clumps of trees were planted at certain spots along and between the new roads based on the existing character o the landscape unit. For instance, where guardrails occur along the new roads, trees were planted close to the roadways to recreate the enclosure, shade, and view framing of the existing road corridor.

On gentle slopes and flat segments, areas of mowed grass allow the landscape to flow uninterrupted, except perhaps by a fence or tree, into adjacent farm pastures. Side slopes of major drainage-ways and creek banks within the new right-of-way have been planted with native riparian plants to stabilize the banks and to slow and filter high-water events.

Steeper slopes are planted with ground cover, predominately bluegrass with a few wildflowers that typically reach a height of 18 inches. The ground cover is specified for mowing only once a year, in keeping with the fallow pastures and existing mowing patterns along the existing roadside." (6)

-"The Paris-Lexington Road"

For each tree removed, at least one new tree was planted, however, this ratio is closer to three new trees planted per one tree removed. Blue-ash, hickory, and Chinquapin Oak were specified as "heritage trees" and procured from local gene sources in order to remain true to the local ecosystem. In one specific area in the "land between the roads," a savanna was created.

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All the stone walls in the project corridor, which date to the 1800's, were surveyed during the inventory phase of the project. Since many of the stone fences were dry-laid, they needed to be rebuilt using the same historical construction technique. Since there was a severe shortage of skilled dry stone masons among other problems, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the Kentucky Heritage Council, and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government sponsored several training courses for masons interested in dry-laid stone walls. This training program was developed by Jane Murray-Wooley, a Lexington landscape architect and recognized authority on dry stone masonry. The Dry Stone Conservancy, a non-profit organization, was developed in response to the Paris Pike construction project to coordinate the training program. Training personnel were provided by the Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain, which conducted hands-on workshops. Over three miles of dry-laid stone walls were reconstructed. (6)

Plank fences were pushed beyond the roadway clear zones. In most cases, the existing plank fencing was left standing while the new fence was being constructed. These fences organize horse pastures and are a part of the visual and functional component of the Paris Pike landscape. (6) Steel backed timber guardrails were chosen over the more traditional stainless steel guardrails in the Bourbon County segment, while Cor-Ten "rusty" guardrails were chosen in the Fayette County segment. (6)

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There are no pull-offs on the Paris Pike, although they were originally placed in the design as scenic overlooks and interpretive exhibits. In 1999, the Kentucky Department of Highways purchased the Civil-War era Wright House near Paris for reuse as an interpretive center. The Wright House was in disrepair and was remodeled. A bike path was considered for inclusion in the "land between the roads," but was never implemented. (6)

Driveway connections are limited, and median U-turns are provided every few thousand feet at regular intervals in order to provide full connections for the residents of the Paris Pike corridor. Special signage was developed under the Heritage Marker Program but has not been implemented as of yet.

Design Phase

The first segments of the Paris Pike corridor that advanced to the design phase was the Houston and Paris design landscape segments.

"After the advisory task force and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet approved the Preliminary Line and Grade Plan in April of 1995, the design team drafted construction plans and contract documents. Areas addressed in the final design plans included right-of-way plans, side and access roads, drainage design, and detailing of roadside elements, grading plans, and landscape and structural plans. This process was replicated for each design segment; the Hutchinson district followed in February of 1996, and the Lexington segment, including Muir and Johnston districts, in December of 1999." (6)

-"The Paris-Lexington Road"

Although this method took more time, the splitting of the design and construction of the road into phases allowed the design team to focus on more detail throughout the life of the project. Each tree and every stone fence along the project corridor were studied in detail as to how they would be affected by the road alignment. Public workshops were held for each design segment in order to discuss and receive feedback on the preliminary design drawings. (6)

Paris Pike reconstruction project

The highway widening project commenced in the spring of 1997 on the Paris and Houston Creek design segments, and were completed in the summer of 2000. The Hutchinson design segment was completed in fall of 2001, and by fall of 2002, the remaining Lexington design segment was under construction. The entire Paris Pike reconstruction project was open on December 2, 2003. (6)

There were issues that were "unlike any other construction project" that the state had built, according to a report by the Kentucky Transportation Center. For example, 223 acres of Maury silt loam, a type of soil found on Central Kentucky horse farms and not available for purchase, was stripped, stockpiled, and returned to its original thickness. Leslie, the H.W. Lochner project engineer stated that "nothing like that had been done before on road projects."

The new Paris Pike was designed to miss historic properties and structures. If for example, automobile headlights were to shine through a person's bedroom window, the design was adjusted so that would not occur. The new highway follows the contours of the land in an effort to save the majority of the mature trees along the route. Engineers and landscape architects "went foot by foot and identified tree by tree which one should stay and which one should go," said Krista Schneider, a former University of Kentucky instructor and author of a new book, The Paris-Lexington Road. (6)

All these factors have also helped blend the new Paris Pike into the countryside. It is being praised by state officials and former foes alike, stating that it is a national model for a new "context-sensitive" highway design. The project demonstrated how much-needed transportation improvement could be made, while protecting and enhancing the environment.

"The land and culture came first (on the Paris Pike), and the road came second. It's not a concept you normally use. But this is a much preferred way to think about the road. Look at the land first, and how can we make the road fit?", stated Grant Jones, the landscape architect whose Seattle company worked on the Paris Pike.

The historic Wright farmhouse, previously in poor condition, was restored for use as a tourism center by the Transportation Cabinet. The counties of Bourbon and Fayette counties founded the Paris Pike Corridor Commission. The commission enacted a permit, in which agricultural development is allowed within 1,000 feet from the edges of the Paris Pike. As Chris Poynter, of the Louisville Courier-Journal, writes, "This ensures the Pike won't be commercialized with strip malls."

Henry Alexander, a former Paris Pike property owner who opposed to the road widening, said that the rebuilt road "will become an attraction itself as its newly planted trees age. I see it as a tourist destination. It's going to represent all of central Kentucky."

Awards

The National Trust for Historic Preservation honored Governor Patton's office, the state transportation cabinet, the Heritage Council, and the Federal Highway Administration for their commitment to the project. The Kentucky Transportation Historic Preservation Partnership was founded under the Patton administration, as a direct result of the Paris Pike widening. This "celebrates the spirit of a place instead of obliterating it." (3)

On April 24, 2003, the Paris Pike Project won an environmental excellence award from the Federal Highway Administration. In an awards ceremony in Washington, DC on Tuesday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said, “These models of excellence inspire commitment to environmental stewardship.” Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary James C. Codell, III stated that the Paris Pike is a model in highway design and historical preservation - and all employees and partners involved should deserve praise for creating such a beautiful and functional roadway. (3)

The Paris Pike Corridor commission received the 2003 Public Service to Preservation Award from the Bluegrass Trust for Historic Preservation, Inc. on June 18, 2003. For the past 13 years, this award has been given to government agencies and officials for service to preservation movements or to specific projects. The Blue Grass Trust is a nonprofit advocate for historic preservation in Central Kentucky. Members of the Paris Pike Corridor Commission include the Federal Highway Administration, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the Kentucky Heritage Council, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, County of Bourbon, City of Paris, and the Paris-Lexington Road Advisory Task Force. These local, state and federal agencies partnered with design firms, consultants, and the public to develop and carry out the successful Paris Pike road-widening project. (3)

The National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Sierra Club, not known for their praise of road construction, especially those through scenic areas, have hailed the new Paris Pike as a premier example in the nation of "context-sensitive" design. The road, in those terms, was designed to do the least amount of damage to the natural landscape and to man-made structures. (3)

Land and community design

The Paris Pike has become the subject of a new book, published by The Landscape Architecture Foundation, a national nonprofit organization that works for the preservation, improvement, and enhancement of the environment. The publication details out a case study in land and community design and has been recommended as a model for other communities embarking on other, similar projects. (1)

“While for many years, landscape architects assumed a key role in highway design, by World War I, engineers took over as the key designers. We were building roads for speed and efficiency, but not necessarily taking into account historical and environmental concerns. The Paris Pike project is an example of how we have reshaped our focus, with all aspects being considered in new projects,” Bill Gulick, KYTC engineer and project coordinator explained. (1)

Dedication

The Paris Pike widening project came in at a total of $93 million, or $4.5 million per mile. It is approximately 1.8 times the cost of other comparative road projects in the state of Kentucky. General manager of Gainesway Farm, Neil Howard, stated, "It may be one of the most expensive roads in America, but I can tell you, it's actually very pleasant to drive up and down. It provides some great vistas as you're driving down through there."

The Paris Pike was opened to four-lane traffic in late November and an official dedication ceremony took place on December 2, 2003.

Sources

1. Landscape Architecture Foundation Publishes Case Study on Kentucky’s Paris-Lexington Road. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Article.
2. Paris Pike Project Wins National Environmental Award. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Article.
3. Paris Pike Corridor Commission Wins Blue Grass Trust Preservation Award. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Article.
4. Rural Service Area Land Management Plan: Our Rural Heritange in the Next Century. Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. 1999. Derived from "The Paris-Lexington Road" from the Landscape Architecture Foundation.
5. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. 23 March 2004.
6. "The Paris-Lexington Road." Landscape Architecture Foundation. 2003. 27 March 2004.
7. Smith, Scott. "Suit Filed to Prevent Pike Work." 1977. Lexington Herald-Leader. 27 March 2004. A1.
8. Simonds, John O. "Review Comments of Draft Supplemental Envrionmental Impact Statement. repared for the Corridors Committee of the Council, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government." 1990. 27 March 2004.
9. Bean, Dottie. "Panel Offers Plans to Widen Paris Pike: All Three Options Call for Four Lanes of Traffic." Lexington-Herald Leader. 25 January 1991. 25 March 2004. C1.
10. "Memorandum of Agreement." Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. 1991. 25 March 2004.
11. Paris Pike Committee Report. Paris Pike Committee. 1993. 23 March 2004.
12. "Design on the Driving Envrionment: Roads Which Sustain Intrinsic Qualities of Place." Transportation Research Board. Jones and Jones, Ltd. 23 March 2004.
13. "Technical Memorandum: Design Criteria, Paris Pike Reconstruction Project, Fayette and Bourbon Counties." Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. 1994. 23 March 2004.
14. Historical interpretation signage.

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