By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Just as the South Main Street road project inches its way to completion later this fall, the City of Bowling Green has received funding to do similar multi-use path work along North Main Street.
After initial word last fall that the city was getting $3.6 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the approval was put on hold. On Monday evening, Public Works Director Mick Murray told City Council the funding was officially secured.
The funding is part of the “Safe Streets for All” program.
The funds will be used to construct a 10-foot wide paved shared use path and intersection improvements along North Main Street and Ohio 25, from Poe Road to Nims Road. The funding is intended to provide enhanced safety and connectivity for bicyclists and pedestrians in the city.
With this funding approval, Bowling Green is now in the process of constructing four multi-use paths in the city:
- North Main from Poe to Nims.
- South Main from Napoleon to Gypsy Lane.
- Linking Cogan’s Crossing subdivision to the BG Community Center, and the BG high school and middle school complex.
- Linking Crim Elementary School to residential neighborhoods and Carter Park.
While the South Main Street multi-use path is being constructed on the west side of South Main, the North Main path will be built on the east side, Murray said after Monday’s meeting.
The North Main 10-foot wide path will extend to the new Abbott Lab manufacturing site on Route 25. The company reportedly has plans in place to construct a similar pathway on its property.
The city has five years to complete the North Main project, which also includes making modifications to existing traffic signals along the route.
On South Main Street, two pedestrian crossings with beacons are being constructed between Napoleon and Gypsy Lane roads. Murray said he expects the North Main Street project to also include some similar pedestrian crossing improvements.
Last fall, Amanda Gamby, director of communications for Bowling Green, talked about the importance of the transportation projects. After years of debating the need versus the expense of providing better accommodations for bicyclists and walkers, the pieces – and the funding – are falling into place, she said.
“These will increase the mobility options for our pedestrian and bicycling traffic,” including connections for workforces, Gamby said.
At the same time, the multi-use paths are aimed at increasing safety.
“The ultimate goal is zero deaths and injuries for all road users,” she said.
Last September, Gamby also pointed out that the entire length of Main Street is being studied for a possible combination of protected on-street bicycle lanes or shared use paths.
