Get Ready for Roundabouts on the University of Kentucky Campus

According Beth Musgrave of Hearld Leader, the University of Kentucky is preparing to add two roundabouts to the campus. This fast tracked project will allow traffic to continue to flow and removed stop signs. With a $5 Million dollar price tag this project is set to be completed by this fall.

  

Details of stone fence along Old Frankfort Pike Roundabout, designed by CDP Engineers, Lexington, KY.

Having gone from the UK campus to UMass and seeing how well a roundabout can work this is a great solution to unnecessary backups on campus. This proved so successful that I incorporated another roundabout in my thesis design for the South West Main Entrance to campus.

Google Maps image of UMass Amherst North Pleasant roundabout.

Thesis design for South West Entrance to Campus. Designed by Nathan Frazee.

Pop Up Parks!

Often parks within the city carry a fairly large initial construction budget. However, over time they wear down and are in need of repair. Most cities have revolving update budgets that handle "face lifts" for parks to help keep they to an acceptable level.

A new concept is to have pop up temporary parks. Boston, MA had a very successful version of this with Lawn on D. The park has provided a venue for almost constant performances and events throughout the summer. At one point, the glow in the dark swings were the number one tweeted image in the world.

This concept appears to be gaining momentum as featured in The Dirt article Pop Up Parks Are Getting Bigger is a park similar in Melbourne, Australia.

My apologizes for the terrible picture.