Lexingtonians are welcoming the completion of a connector linking popular pedestrian and biking trails over a major city thoroughfare.
"Here we are today, able to walk, jog, and cycle over Man O' War Boulevard," Mayor Linda Gorton announced, standing in front of the long-awaited Brighton Rail Trail bridge. The 300-foot span connects the path with Liberty Trail, providing a new route to access a number of neighborhoods and parks.
City engineer Doug Burton said the bridge – more than a decade in the making – is just one piece of a larger puzzle.
"The goal is to connect all of Lexington, not just a couple neighborhoods," he explained.
Currently, $53 million in trail projects are in some phase of development. Burton said the total trail master plan still has a long way to go.
"We do have 5, 10, 15, 20-year plans to make those connections," Burton said. "The mayor's office has been super supportive, as is this council, so as long as that support continues, we'll get it done."
Brighton Rail Trail was the city’s first rail trail, and is the most heavily-traveled shared use trail in the eastern half of Fayette County.
