Lexington has the worst traffic in Kentucky, study says

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Over the years, many drivers say traffic in Lexington has gotten worse.

A large part of this is because of the amount of growth in the city and surrounding areas. Now, a study claims that Lexington has the worst traffic in the state.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent travel time data for the Lexington-Fayette County area, the average time it takes for people to get to work is just under 21 minutes.

However, many say it takes them more than triple that.

“I usually get off work between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. and I don’t get home until 6-6:30 p.m. and I’m only like 25 minutes from here,” said driver Megan Schmidt.

Both on and off camera, everyone had strong feelings about the traffic issues.

“It’s kind of miserable because, I mean, you know you’re just ready to get home,” said Schmidt.

INRIX is a traffic data and analytics company. Their 2022 report on Kentucky’s traffic says drivers in Lexington spend the most time behind the wheel.

“You’re usually bumper-to-bumper, especially when it’s raining. You don’t get home for hours,” said Schmidt.

The INRIX report says Lexington ranks 63rd out of 280 U.S. cities with available traffic data when it comes to traffic delays.

Drivers we spoke with say one of the biggest problem areas is Lexington in the Nicholasville and New Circle area. Man O War Boulevard is another road drivers say is often a slow crawl.

Lori Weaver Hawkins with AAA of the Bluegrass says now that summer’s approaching, traffic will get worse. She reminds everyone to leave earlier when heading places and to always keep their eyes on the road.

“Traffic can come to a stop very quickly and if you’re not aware you don’t have that time to be able to correct,” said Weaver Hawkins. “So, make sure that you aren’t distracted.”

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