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Durring construction.
Completed!!!!

Even though the project failed in the face of neighborhood opposition in the 1980’s, the transportation need for a widened Cemetery Road and a new access point to I-65 remained. When cries of, “We don’t want another Scottsville Road!” were raised at the second attempt for highway construction, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet listened and invited additional voices to assist in creating a corridor that addressed everyone’s needs. Each voice offered assistance in creating the three toolboxes that would be the foundation of the Cemetery road Project-----Road Improvements, Non-Road Improvements, and Land Use Development.

KYTC brought the engineering options, while the planning and zoning commission added the regulatory teeth to define the scope and character of potential growth. The Greenbelt Advisory Committee proposed the provision for pedestrian and bike facilities within the project. The local officials brought the political commitment to see through to the success of the project, and the residents of the affected neighborhoods and other stakeholders shared their vision of what they wanted in the look and operation of the corridor and potential growth. Community Groups such as Operation Pride and the Downtown Redevelopment Authority have played important roles in facilitating the expression of this vision.

Throughout the development of the Cemetery Road Project, the conversation between the decision makers and the community has not ceased. Hearings and meetings have been held by KYTC on the design and construction of the project and by P & Z staff on the development of the “boulevard” concept and the future of land use along the corridor. Whether in meeting rooms, classrooms, open houses, or press releases, Bowling Green citizens are aware and involved in something truly unique that is happening along Cemetery Road.

From the beginning, community concern has directed this improvement away from a typical highway reconstruction and it’s usual business development scenario. In the 1980’s, the widening of KY 234/Cemetery Road and the construction of an interchange with I-65 failed amid concerns of duplicating the commercialization and congestion of another state maintained thoroughfare with interstate access----Scottsville Road. Though the project dissipated, the transportation need remained.

In a successful attempt at meeting the transportation need, the Cemetery Road Project marks the cooperation of land use planners, transportation planners, local officials, and members of the community in developing a solution to a transportation need that is within the context of the community-----resulting in Bowling Green’s Green Front Door.

This solution is comprised of three “toolboxes” ----road improvements, non-road improvements, and land-use development.
1) Road Improvements include the widening of the highway along existing alignment to five lanes with curb, gutter, and sidewalk, the construction of a “new alignment” section, and the construction of the interchange with I-65. This also includes stringent access controls along the “new alignment” section, mast arm signals, and an aesthetic treatment to the bridge over I-65 that gives it the appearance of stonework.
2) Non-Road Improvements include the construction off the community’s first multipurpose path for pedestrians and bikes, which will be an initial segment of the Bowling Green/Warren County Greenbelt (a comprehensive network of bike and pedestrian facilities). Approximately $600,000 work of landscaping will be planted along the “new alignment” section in an effort to create a visually pleasing entryway into the community as well as providing visual buffers for the adjacent neighborhoods.
3) Land-Use Development includes the establishment of an Overlay District along the “new alignment” and the policies that will define the type and style of development as well as how it should fit in the context of existing land uses within the community. This also includes the efforts to purchase landlocked parcels along the corridor for additional buffering.

The impact of the Cemetery Road Project has reached beyond its physical boundaries. The anticipation of a direct and attractive entrance from the interstate to the heart of Bowling Green has provided impetus for a downtown revitalization strategy, known as the District Master Plan. The Downtown Redevelopment Authority leads the charge in this effort. This District Master Plan is funded by the Renaissance Kentucky Program, which is a statewide initiative to encourage a “rebirth” in the hearts of communities across Kentucky.

As a realized opportunity, the Cemetery Road Project is spurring investment back into the original heart of the city rather than sprawling is outward. The restrictions on commercial development within the Overlay District, and the existing infrastructure of downtown will be incentives for redevelopment within the District.

The Cemetery Road Project has made the community realize the relationship between transportation and land use and has given an example of how a balance can be struck between transportation improvements and resulting growth. The most important element of this strategy is the conversation that now exists between land use and transportation officials and the citizens they serve. This conversation is expanding into other planned projects within this community and across the state.