City of Bowling Green
The 2-lane portion of the Cave Mill Road corridor, from Dishman Lane to Grider Pond Road, received design funds in the most recent KYTC Enacted Highway Plan in an effort to reduce congestion and increase safety in an area that has seen a tremendous growth in traffic in recent years. In February, the City contracted with a consultant to complete a design for roadway widening, intersection enhancements, and drainage improvements. An 8-foot wide multi-use path is also proposed along the length of the project to encourage pedestrian mobility. A public meeting is currently scheduled for Fall 2023 to present proposed improvements. Roadway and utility design work is currently expected to be complete in Spring 2024.
Construction on the first of four new roundabouts along Westen Street began in 2022. A roundabout and associated improvements to Westen at Rockingham Avenue were completed in the Summer of 2022. The intersections of Highland Way, Patrick Way, and Ashley Circle were also selected for roundabout construction. Converting these all-way stop controlled intersections to roundabouts will help alleviate the delay motorists routinely experience, especially during the PM peak hour. All four roundabouts will have the same dimensions and will be sized to easily convey passenger vehicles, schools buses, and fire trucks. Each roundabout will incorporate raised splitter islands to separate entering and exiting traffic as well as accommodations for current and future sidewalks. Construction on the Ashley Circle/Westen Roundabout was completed in September. Construction has started for the Patrick Way/Westen roundabout and is scheduled to be complete in Spring 2024.
The City is committed to providing a walkable community and therefore the City allocates funds to build new sidewalks in areas that show a need. Each year candidate projects are prioritized based upon a set scoring system to determine where funds will be spent. Current locations include portions of sidewalk on Morgantown Rd., Creekwood Avenue, Rodes Drive, Riverwood Avenue, and Rockingham Ave. Designs for these locations are complete and property acquisition is currently underway. Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2024. Additionally, the Sidewalk Maintenance Program identifies the process by which staff inspects and choses which areas will be inspected in a given year. Depending on funding, the City can correct safety hazards in hundreds of locations across the city per year.
The City’s newly implemented Greenways Program mimics the Sidewalk program where candidate projects are ranked and selected annually based upon allocated funding. The locations selected to receive new greenways this year include portions of Smallhouse Road, Bryant Way and Lovers Lane. These locations are currently in the design phase.
The Public Works Department continues to work with the City’s Neighborhood & Community Services Department to provide better pedestrian connections throughout town. A Transportation Improvement Program (TAP) grant was awarded to the City in conjunction with the (former) Greenways Commission that will provide pedestrian and bicycle connections between existing downtown greenways facilities, key destinations in the West End, and will ultimately improve problematic intersection crossings. Construction is set to begin later this winter. Most recently the City was awarded a TAP grant in the amount of $1.6M to restore the College Street Pedestrian Bridge, a historic landmark and future gateway to the Riverfront Park development. Construction began in June and is expected to be complete this winter and will address minor maintenance issues as well include painting of the bridge.
Another design project underway is the Greenhill Street Extension. This project will connect what is now a stub street in the Whispering Hills Neighborhood to Veterans Memorial Lane and give the residents another access to the neighborhood. There is a traffic signal proposed at this location by the development across Veterans Memorial Lane therefore providing a safer point of entry than the neighborhood entrance on Russellville Road. An 8’ multi-use path is also planned along the extension to provide a connection between the existing Creekwood Greenway and the greenway along Veterans Memorial Lane. Design for both the road and greenway extension is scheduled to be complete in Spring 2024.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet – District 3
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 3 office has had a busy few months improving multiple roads in Warren County. Two major routes in Bowling Green were recently resurfaced. Motorists on U.S. 231 Campbell Lane have new driving surface from U.S. 31-W Nashville Road to U.S. 231 Scottsville Road as well as on U.S. 31-W from the roundabout near the campus of WKU to U.S. 231 Campbell Lane. Resurfacing also took place on U.S. 231 Morgantown Road from U.S. 68 Veterans Memorial to I-165. Two sections of KY 101 were also resurfaced. The first section from the Allen County line to KY 1297 with the second section from U.S. 31-W to Smiths Grove. In addition to resurfacing, the traffic signal at the intersection of U.S. 31-W and Cabell Drive has been completely rebuilt. The signal was destroyed during the 2021 tornado outbreak and a temporary signal was installed.
Resurfacing projects are wrapping up as we are approaching the colder months and our crews are shifting focus to winter operations. For snow & ice updates during a winter weather event please follow the District 3 social media accounts on Twitter at KYTCDISTRICT3 and Facebook at KYTCDISTRICT3.