State to start Bypass project
Published 6:00 am Sunday, March 15, 2026
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Cars travel through the intersection of Fairview Avenue and the U.S. 31-W Bypass in Bowling Green on Thursday. (JACK DOBBS / The Daily News)
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Cars sit at the intersection of Fairview Avenue and the U.S. 31-W Bypass in Bowling Green on Wednesday. (JACK DOBBS / The Daily News)
A project is on the way to rework a stretch of the U.S. 31-W Bypass in Bowling Green, one that the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is saying will lead to long-term traffic interruptions along the corridor.
“It is going to add severe traffic delays, traffic queues, and overall traffic difficulty in that corridor,” said Wes Watt, the public information officer for KYTC District 3. “It’s unfortunately just a side effect of being able to expand the roadway.”
The work will happen between the Bypass intersection with Fairview Avenue and the intersection with Park Street near The Medical Center.
Crews will change the Bypass to a three-lane format similar to the other end of the road that was altered previously. Two lanes will be dedicated to regular traffic with a center turn lane.
One dedicated left-turn lane will be added on either side of the intersection at Fairview. Once completed, either side will have two left-turn lanes, one lane going straight and one lane that will let drivers either go straight or make a right-turn.
Recent counts from KYTC show that roughly 18,000 cars use this half-mile section of the Bypass every day. With the growth Bowling Green is seeing, Watt said the change is needed.
“This project will certainly help alleviate a lot of the congestion and improve the overall traffic flow,” he said. “It’s not going to solve all the problems in that area. But this is a major project that will have a major benefit to that corridor.”
Kroger, The Medical Center and other businesses in the area will remain accessible throughout the duration of the project. Scotty’s Contracting and Stone will handle the $7.4 million project.
No set start date has been confirmed just yet, but KYTC anticipates that the project will get rolling by the end of this month, with a completion date eyed for fall of 2027.
Traffic flow will be reduced to one lane in each direction once work starts in the coming weeks, and will remain that way until the project is completed.
As work goes on, one lane will be open on the north- and southbound sides for regular traffic between the Fairview and Park intersections. A a left-turn-only lane in the center of the roadway will also be open.
“The challenging part is the construction time, and the construction zone is going to be very impactful to motorists traveling through that area,” Watt said.
About Jack Dobbs
Jack covers city government for the Daily News. Originally from Simpson County, he attended Western Kentucky University and graduated in 2022 with a degree in journalism.
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