38 people died on Lexington streets in 2022. Weigh in on how to make streets safer
In mid August, two pedestrians were killed in Lexington just hours apart.
Ansean Jackson, 52, was killed at the intersection of North Broadway and Loudon Avenue around 11:20 p.m. on Aug. 12. A few hours later, Joshua Johnson, 27, was hit and killed near New Circle Road and Alumni Drive.
The deaths were two of 13 pedestrian fatalities that have occurred in Lexington crashes this year, according to Lexington police data.
Fatal accidents involving bicyclists, pedestrians and motor vehicles are common, data shows.
Lexington police do not keep crash data readily available online, but KSP data shows 35 fatal crashes happened in Fayette County in 2022, leaving 38 people dead. So far this year, there have been 33 fatalities involving motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.
In 2021, the last year full numbers are available from the Lexington Police Department, data shows 14,448 collisions on Lexington streets involving cars, bikes and pedestrians. Forty-one people died. That was more than the 37 people killed in homicides in 2021.
Lexington officials want to make Lexington streets safer. The city is in the midst of developing a new model for street design that includes safety and accessibility of pedestrians, bicyclists, automobile drivers and public transportation called “complete streets.”
The complete streets plan will guide Lexington street design for the next five years. The city wants to hear from residents as it puts together this plan.
“To complete an effective action plan we first need to hear from the public,” said Mayor Linda Gorton.
Online surveys can be found at lexingtonky.gov/complete-streets. Paper copies will be available at all Lexington Public Library locations. The survey will remain open until Sept. 24.
The survey focuses on seven areas: planning and design, accessibility, safety, project coordination, project selection, operations and maintenance, and community engagement.
After World War II and the rise of the automobile, most city streets were designed to move cars and trucks through quickly. That’s why the city has spent millions of dollars in recent years adding sidewalks to Versailles and Tates Creek and other major Lexington roads, which were built without sidewalks. But as habits have changed and more people walk and bike, planning for streets, and the safety of all of its users, has now changed.
U.S. Department of Transportation studies have shown that when streets are designed for all modes of transportation, deaths on roads decline.
Many cities and state transportation agencies are now using complete street designs. Other cities are also adopting “zero fatality” goals for its roadways.
