Warren County Public Works
Warren County Public Works is exploring options to improve Beech Bend Road to alleviate congestion during high-volume events at Beech Bend Park. The first phase of design for widening Beech Bend Road to three lanes from Garvin Lane to Beech Bend Park Road is currently out for bid and construction will be completed by spring 2020. This project intends to serve as a short-term solution until future improvements can be made. Warren County is seeking funding for design and construction of a long-term solution to this congestion.
Warren County Public Works is also in the design phase for a roundabout at the Smallhouse Road and Elrod Road intersection. This project aims to relieve heavy traffic to and from Jody Richards Elementary and from surrounding residential area to and from town. The project will go out to bid early in 2020 with construction to be completed during summer break.
Warren County has finished 2019 paving with a total of 31.015 miles completed.
City of Bowling Green
The City’s Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Paving contract that will rehabilitate approximately 18 miles of streets will begin this fall. As always, the contract will include various roadway repairs and upgrades to numerous sidewalk handicap ramps in addition to street paving.
The construction of a new traffic signal at the intersection of Dishman Lane and Industrial Drive is set to begin in October and wrap up later this fall. The installation will help improve traffic congestion and safety at this location, as well as address pedestrian crossing needs.
Improvements to and around the Downtown Fountain Square are nearing completion and include safety upgrades to pedestrian movements adjacent to the square, as well as lighting and aesthetic improvements to sidewalks, landscaping, and alleyways within downtown. Minor landscape work will resume in the spring as weather permits.
The City is committed to providing a walkable community and therefore allocates funds to build new sidewalk in areas that show a need. Each fiscal year, the Bowling Green City Commission assigns approximately $500,000 to the City’s Sidewalk Construction Program, with the purpose of identifying locations and constructing sidewalks in areas where none currently exist. This year, construction continues with new sidewalks on sections of Park St., Kenton St., Magnolia St., North Lee Dr., Sandra St., and Potter Ave. Once complete, these six locations combined will add approximately 6,500 feet to the City’s sidewalk network. Additionally, sidewalk along Butler Way from Collegeview Drive to Durbin Street is currently being rehabilitated. This project will make connections from existing sidewalks in the area to both Dishman-McGinnis Elementary School as well as Pedigo Park.
The Public Works Department continues to work with the City’s Neighborhood & Community Services Department to provide better pedestrian connections throughout town. Most recently new sidewalk was completed along portions of North Lee Dr., Crewdson Dr., North Sunrise Dr., Woodway St., Cove Dr., and Old Barren River Rd. Additionally, construction has recently been completed that added pedestrian paths within Pedigo Park in the West End. These projects coincide with a Transportation Improvement Program (TAP) grant 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. Stay tuned for updates on this greenway project.
The construction for the widening of Shive Lane began in September. The goal of this project is to improve traffic and pedestrian safety by adding a center turn lane to Shive Lane between Scottsville Road and Ken Bale Boulevard. Additionally, construction of a single lane roundabout is proposed at the intersection with Ken Bale Boulevard to reduce morning and afternoon peak delays. A five-foot wide sidewalk is also proposed along the north side of Shive Lane for the entire length of the project. A second phase for widening Shive Lane up to Middle Bridge Road is currently in the design phase.
With the recent success of the roundabout at University Boulevard and US 31W Bypass, City staff have evaluated locations where traffic flow could be improved with the installation of small roundabouts in residential areas at the intersections of Parkside Drive / Cove Drive, North Sunrise Drive / Woodway Street / Cove Drive, and Crossings Boulevard / Chasefield Avenue. Given the constraints at these locations, it is anticipated these roundabouts will incorporate mountable splitter and central islands in order to accommodate busses and large trucks. Design is complete for these residential roundabouts and construction is expected to begin later this fall.
In October 2018, the Bowling Green City Commission and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) entered into a Memorandum of Agreement for KYTC to fund the design, right-of-way acquisition, and utility relocation for a portion of the originally planned Southwest Parkway and an associated connector roadway that will tie into Kobe Way in the Southcentral Kentucky Industrial Park. The major goals of this project are to promote economic development and improve traffic flow within the industrial park. Design is complete and construction is currently expected to begin in late 2019.