LEXINGTON, Ky. — Lextran has announced service changes for multiple bus routes on Monday, January 19, as the city's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Freedom March takes place downtown.

Lextran said all routes will run regularly scheduled service for the holiday, but some routes will detour during the Freedom March. The detours are set to begin at 12:30 p.m., allowing time before the march kicks off downtown.

Thousands are expected to gather for the annual Freedom March at 1 p.m., followed by the commemorative program at 2 p.m. at Central Bank Center. Founded at the University of Kentucky in 1973 — 13 years before the federal holiday was established — the Lexington celebration is one of the longest-running MLK Day observances in the nation.

Routes 14 (UK Blue White) and Route 15 (Red Mile) will have no service. Most other routes will experience detours in the downtown area, including routes serving Woodhill, Georgetown Road, Tates Creek, Nicholasville Road, North Broadway, North Limestone, Versailles Road, and other corridors. The specific detours vary by route direction, with some routes missing certain stops while others are rerouted around downtown streets.

This year's theme is "The Right to Live, The Right to Choose: Health, Ballots & The Beloved Community," which invites the community to examine King's vision through the interconnected lenses of public health, voting rights and collective responsibility. According to Ja'Mahl McDaniel, director of the University of Kentucky Martin Luther King Center, the Freedom March is one of the most visible ways King's vision comes to life each year.

Riders should plan ahead and check Lextran's website or mobile app for detailed detour information for their specific routes. The 2026 MLK Holiday Observance is free and open to the public.