# Lexington's second DCD interchange opens at Leestown and New Circle **Published:** 2026-09-30T16:40:03.239Z **Source:** [KYTC District 7 Press Releases](https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/KYTC/bulletins/42d2fec) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/lexington-s-second-dcd-interchange-opens-at-leestown-and-new-circle LEXINGTON, Ky. — Lexington drivers will gain access to the city's second Double Crossover Diamond interchange when the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet opens the new Leestown Road (US 421) and New Circle Road (KY 4) interchange to traffic on Monday, Oct. 5, [according to a KYTC District 7 press release](https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/KYTC/bulletins/42d2fec). The opening marks a significant milestone in the New Circle Road Widening Project and represents another application of a traffic design that has already proven successful in the city. The first Double Crossover Diamond interchange, installed at Harrodsburg Road and New Circle Road in 2011, reduced crashes by 63 percent during its first two years of operation and cut traffic queues roughly in half, according to KYTC District 7 Chief Engineer Kelly Baker. The new Leestown Road interchange is expected to bring similar benefits to a corridor that handles more than 35,000 vehicles daily. To complete final construction work, crews will close a portion of Leestown Road between Taylor Drive and Opportunity Way from 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, through 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 5. Exit 7 on New Circle Road will also be closed during that period. Motorists should use Exit 6 at Old Frankfort Pike as an alternate route and allow extra travel time. Completion work includes roadway grading, curb and sidewalk improvements, placement of approximately 3,100 tons of asphalt, activation of traffic signals and lighting, installation of permanent pavement markings and signs, and restoration throughout the interchange. A Double Crossover Diamond briefly shifts traffic to the left side of the roadway between two signalized intersections, allowing left turns without crossing opposing traffic and reducing conflict points. The new interchange will feature three lanes of New Circle Road in each direction with a paved median and barrier wall. New sidewalks along Leestown Road will connect to existing sidewalks on both sides of New Circle Road, and a sound barrier wall will extend along the inner loop from Leestown Road to the Norfolk Southern railroad bridge. The overall New Circle Road Widening Project is scheduled for completion in summer 2027. Additional information is available at [DrivingLexingtonProgress.org](https://driving-lexington-progress-kytc.hub.arcgis.com/pages/new-circle-widening). ## Sources - [KYTC District 7 Press Releases](https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/KYTC/bulletins/42d2fec) - [Driving Lexington Progress website with project details and educational resources](https://driving-lexington-progress-kytc.hub.arcgis.com/pages/new-circle-widening) - [Kentucky Transportation Cabinet information on Double Crossover Diamond interchanges](https://transportation.ky.gov/saferoadsolutions/Pages/DoubleCrossoverDiamondInterchange.aspx) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from KYTC District 7 Press Releases. The original source is available at https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/KYTC/bulletins/42d2fec.