LEXINGTON, Ky. — Contractors will close both ramps connecting New Circle Road to Leestown Road beginning Friday night for three days of intensive construction, according to a news release from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 7.

Starting at 10 p.m. on July 24 and continuing through 5 a.m. on July 27, both the inner loop off-ramp to Leestown Road and the on-ramp from Leestown Road to the inner loop will be closed. The work is necessary to reconstruct portions of the ramps as part of construction of a new Double Crossover Diamond interchange at the intersection, a specialized interchange design intended to improve traffic flow and reduce crashes.

Drivers exiting the inner loop of New Circle Road should head north on Georgetown Road, turn left onto Citation Boulevard, then turn left onto Leestown Road to rejoin their route. Traffic on Leestown Road needing to access the inner loop should continue on Leestown Road, turn right onto Citation Boulevard, turn right onto Georgetown Road, then turn left back onto New Circle Road.

The ramp closures are part of the larger New Circle Road widening project, which carries a $51 million price tag and is scheduled for completion in summer 2027. The widening will expand New Circle Road between Georgetown and Leestown Roads to three lanes in each direction and will include new sidewalks, a paved median, and a sound barrier wall.

All work is subject to change based on weather conditions, emergencies, and other unforeseeable factors, the cabinet said. For traffic updates, drivers can visit DrivingLexingtonProgress.org or use real-time navigation apps like GoKY or Waze.