Roadway Repaving and Reconfiguration Project to Start on U.S. 31-W Bypass in Bowling Green
Project will convert four-lane road to a three-lane road with center turn lane
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (July 7, 2023) – A project to repave and reconfigure part of U.S. 31-W Bypass in Bowling Green from a four-lane road to a three-lane road is expected to begin Sunday night. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) advises motorists to expect lane closures throughout the area over the next two weeks.
The roughly mile-and-a-half stretch of U.S. 31-W from U.S. 231 University Drive to Lehman Avenue will be repaved and restriped to allow for a two-way center turn lane and bike lanes.
“The current Bypass configuration with four lanes does not function very well because left-turning vehicles create bottlenecks that lead to stop-and-go traffic,” said Joe Plunk, Chief District Engineer for KYTC Highway District 3. “This roadway reconfiguration will designate a separate lane for left turns, improve traffic flow for through traffic and reduce delays. More importantly, it will create a safer corridor.”
With an average daily traffic volume of more than 18,000 vehicles, a traffic analysis initiated by the Bowling Green-Warren County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in 2020 found that the U.S. 31-W Bypass has a crash rate nearly three times the state average for similar road types. The analysis recommended implementing a roadway reconfiguration.
“Driving on the Bypass typically involves weaving back and forth between the left and right lanes, causing safety concerns for motorists, and a game of frogger for pedestrians,” said Karissa Lemon, coordinator for the Bowling Green-Warren County MPO. “The Bypass reconfiguration provides an opportunity to re-envision the Bypass for improved mobility and safety for all users.”
The U.S. 31-W Bypass was built in the 1940s on what was then the edge of the city’s urban boundary. The corridor has since become a busy commercial area with multiple business entrances. Because of this dense development, widening the road is impractical. A roadway reconfiguration improves safety and efficiency within the existing road footprint.
In addition to creating a center turn lane, this project will include other improvements:
- Wider travel lanes
- More space between motorists and the curb/utility poles
- Bike lanes
- Fewer lanes for pedestrians to cross
- New signal configuration at the Broadway and Bypass intersection
- Left turns permitted at the 10th Avenue intersection
Many businesses and homes along and near the U.S. 31-W Bypass were severely damaged by the December 2021 tornado. Plunk said this project is an opportunity to help the area recover.
“As businesses redevelop and grow, KYTC is going to do its part to make this corridor more efficient and safer,” Plunk said.
Roadway reconfigurations have been implemented for decades in cities across the country. In Bowling Green, KYTC completed a similar roadway reconfiguration project in 2016 on KY 185 (Gordon Avenue) where the four-lane road was restriped to be a three-lane road with a center turn lane.
For more information about the U.S. 31-W Bypass project, watch this video.
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