Town Branch Commons

SCAPE partnered with the City of Lexington to re-imagine this ribbon of native Bluegrass landscape into a 2.5-mile multi-modal corridor that makes the region more resilient and connected.

The process began with years of collaborative work—grant proposals, education initiatives, iterative designs—navigating many municipalities, landowners, and residents. The resulting corridor weaves together vibrant neighborhoods, fascinating geology, and new economic opportunities to honor the spirit of the Bluegrass country and its people.

The greenway follows the buried path of Town Branch Creek, which is unveiled through a series of interactive water features, rain gardens, expanded public spaces, and interpretive signs. Inspired by the unique local limestone (karst) geology, the cycling and pedestrian paths highlight pools, rock outcrops, and stream channels that connect the movement of water to the movement of people.

Rain gardens filled with native plants collect and treat stormwater run-off, and over 250 trees tripled the existing downtown canopy to provide shade and cool the city.

The corridor had a host of requirements: multiple modes of transportation, complex underground utilities, and a need for extensive green infrastructure. The design elegantly coordinates these elements into a cohesive public realm.

Town Branch Commons incorporates a roadway diet that reduces the number of lanes to make space for pedestrians, cyclists, and bioswales—a large-scale urban transformation underpinned by nearly a decade of iterative design, planning, and engagement.

Accessibility was a primary driver for the project, with the Commons enhancing the downtown experience for users of all abilities.

The greenway traces the buried path of Town Branch Creek, which is unveiled through a series of interactive water features, as well as interpretive signage. Co-developed with local historians and residents, the interpretive signage along the greenway describes diverse aspects of the region’s cultural and ecological history. Learn more about how SCAPE fosters collective conversation about long term environmental and community stewardship in Learning Landscapes.

Town Branch Commons reconnects nature with downtown and people with place. This landscape-first project restores the city’s ecological memory while advancing equity, connectivity, and civic pride.