Largest infrastructure investment in Warren County history to invest $450 million in road improvements (2024)

By Derek Parham

Published: May. 17, 2024 at 8:11 PM CDT

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - Warren County has just received the largest infrastructure investment in its entire history.

$450 million has been dedicated to road improvement projects across the county that will begin construction in the next six years.

Through House Bill 1 and House Bill 266, many of the improvements are on a two-year track to be completed. County judge-executive Doug Gorman shared that with the county’s rapid growth and the influx of new residents, the improvements are long overdue.

“We’re a growing community. We’ve had 20% growth in the last 10 years, the fastest in the Commonwealth. But, how can that many more people travel without being in bottlenecks, without being stuck in traffic, without those things,” Gorman explained. “Some of that’s invariable, and it’s gonna happen, but at the same time, we can reduce that, but also reduce any kind of accidents or any kind of other things with that, so we always take a look into that as well.”

Over $120 million will go into planning, designing, obtaining rights-of-way, utility work, and construction of road improvement projects across the county.

$18.53 million to widen US Highway 31 West from Warren and Simpson County line to Buchanon Park.
$8.8 million for Three Springs Road extension from Flealand to the Natcher Parkway including a bridge over the parkway.
$6.97 million to widen US Highway 31 West from Park Avenue to Fairview Avenue.
$6.9 million to improve connectivity to Transpark (County Road 1060).
$8.5 million to improve KY Highway 185 from Pruitt Road to KY Highway 1320.
$7.7 million to reduce congestion and increase safety on Cave Mill Road and Dishman Lane from the end of the three-lane section near Raintree Drive.
$6 million to improve mobility and reduce congestion on US Highway 31 West from Mizpah Road to Freeport Road.
$5.77 million to reconstruct KY Highway 622 (Plano Road) to eliminate two right-angle curves.
$5.76 million to improve mobility and reduce congestion on US Highway 31 West from US Highway 68 to Mizpah.
$5 million for major widening and reconstruction of Cemetery Road (Highway 234) from Fountain Trace to Roger Porter Road.
$3.5 million to construct a two-lane roundabout at the intersection of KY Highway 101 and the Interstate 65 southbound entrance and exit ramps in Smiths Grove.
$3 million to construct a dual-lane roundabout at Broadway Avenue and US Highway 31 West Bypass.
$2.69 million for safety improvements and rehabilitation on KY Highway 3225. Keep existing footprint by replacing curb line in the same location.
$2.69 million to widen KY Highway 234 from mile point 11.9 to 12.4. Improvements may include a roundabout, turn lane, and a signal at Hampton Drive.
$2.5 million to modernize US Highway 68 between Victoria Street and Clay Street.
$2.5 million for major widening of US 68X (Russellville Road) including construction of roundabouts at intersections with Morgantown Road and University Boulevard. Scope includes reconstruction of the CSX overpass and pedestrian and bicycle accommodations near the Western Kentucky University campus.
$2 million for preliminary engineering and environmental study for new Interstate 65 interchange in southern Warren County near Woodburn.
$1.86 million for minor widening of Smallhouse Road from Elrod Road to US Highway 231 (Campbell Lane). Scope includes pedestrian and bicycle accommodations, intersection improvements, continuous center turn lane.
$1.86 million to improve safety and mobility on US Highway 31 West from Freeport Road to KY Highway 101.
$1.86 million to improve safety and mobility on KY Highway 234 at Interstate 65, including the reconstruction of the interchange.
$1.86 million to improve safety and mobility on US Highway 31 West from KY Highway 3225 to KY Highway 957, including the reconstruction of the interchange with KY Highway 446.
$1.6 million to construct left and right turn lanes from US Highway 68 and KY Highway 80 onto Fred Madison Road at approximately the 17.1 mile point.
$1.25 million to construct a new interchange on Interstate 165 (Natcher Expressway) at Elrod Road. Includes new construction for segments of Elrod Road and minor widening of Smallhouse Road.
$1.24 million to reduce congestion and improve safety and mobility on Russellville Road from Morgantown Road to University Drive.
$1.24 million to improve safety and mobility on KY Highway 622 from Interstate 165 to US Highway 231.
$930,000 to improve safety and mobility on KY Highway 101 between the Allen County line and Interstate 65.

With these improvements, Gorman expects that many of the traffic problems that have plagued the county should be alleviated in the near future.

“A lot of great projects out there are needed. Improvements to Nashville Road all the way out to the Simpson County line, straightening out two curves on Plano Road, but it’s like the entire county is taken care of. Cemetery Road, Dishman Lane, there’s just so many things that we have in there that are really gonna make a big, big, big impact on the community,” Gorman said.

In addition to road improvement projects, county funding will also fuel community development initiatives.

$50 million to the Hardin-Warren County Loan Pool, with $20 million for the Kentucky Transpark project.
$20 million total to the Barren River Area Development District to develop and implement a substance use disorder services pilot program.
$602,000 total to the Warren County Fiscal Court for beautifying the Interstate 65 corridor.

In addition to county funding, Western Kentucky University will receive over $191 million from the Kentucky general fund, including $4.4 million to LifeWorks, $6.14 million to cover a university inflation adjustment, over $10.5 million to support the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, $3.5 million to support Kentucky Mesonet, over $3 million to cover anticipated retirement costs, and over $4.3 million to increase the state’s Fire and Tornado Fund Insurance Premium.