Bowling Green weighs right-of-way rules, adds $462K for sinkholes

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) — Bowling Green city commissioners moved forward Tuesday with new pedestrian safety rules for some of the city’s busiest roads after amending the proposal over concerns about residents’ front yards. Commissioners also approved more than $462,000 in additional funding as the city continues to deal with an elevated number of sinkholes.

New rules proposed for busy streets

The proposed ordinance would restrict people from remaining stationary in certain public rights-of-way along major city streets. The discussion included Dishman Lane, Cave Mill Road, Smallhouse Road, Double Springs Road, Lehman Avenue, Broadway Avenue and East Main Avenue.

The restrictions could apply to activities such as holding political signs, advertising a car wash or setting up a lemonade stand within an affected right-of-way. Sidewalks would be exempt. City officials said the rules are intended to reduce the risk of pedestrians being struck along heavily traveled roads.

Commissioner Sue Parrigin said she has worked on the issue because of pedestrian crashes and deaths.

“So I’ve worked on this issue due to numerous deaths, accidents,” Parrigin said. “You know, we had a mother and a son out Scottsville Road killed not too long ago, and it’s just — there’s a lot out there. And as we grow, there’s only more vehicles on our streets.”

Parrigin said the city’s major collector streets carry large amounts of traffic, often from drivers who do not live along those roads. She pointed to Highland Way as an example, estimating that thousands of vehicles travel a street with relatively few homes each day.

Front-yard concerns lead to amendments

Much of Tuesday’s discussion focused on where a public right-of-way ends and private property begins.

On Smallhouse Road, officials said the right-of-way can extend roughly 30 feet from the road’s center line in some areas. That can include grassy portions of what residents may consider their front yards.

Commissioner Dana Beasley-Brown said she supported the overall goal of pedestrian safety but was concerned about applying the restrictions to people living along those streets.

“The one part that I don’t feel is best for our community is for those that live on that road, where we are essentially making it illegal for them to stand and talk to their neighbor or sit in a lawn chair on their front yard,” Beasley-Brown said. “That to me goes a step beyond what I’m comfortable with in terms of what I think the government should be telling people to do in their front yard, even if it is the right of way.”

She called the property line “invisible” and said residents should be able to talk with neighbors at their mailbox or sit in their yards without worrying whether they have crossed into a public right-of-way.

Beasley-Brown also objected to a proposed $20 permit fee. She said churches, sports teams and others may use those areas for fundraising, while other people may use them to exercise free-speech rights.

“I would hate for us to take $20 of their hard-earned funds they’ve raised,” she said.

Commissioners approved amendments exempting property owners, residents and their invited guests and removing the permit fee before moving the ordinance forward on first reading. The ordinance is expected to return for a second reading Sept. 15.

City adds more money for sinkhole repairs

Commissioners also approved an additional $462,550 for demolition and sinkhole repairs, bringing the city’s total contract with Scott and Ritter Inc. to $1,642,550.

Public Works geologist Nick Lawhon told commissioners the city currently has 11 sinkhole projects in some stage of work or preparation. His memo listed 10, but another project was added in the seven days after it was written. Several projects are wrapping up, while others are awaiting work ranging from bids and geotechnical investigations to access agreements and property acquisition.

Lawhon said the scale of the problem has changed significantly in recent years. Bowling Green historically budgeted between $50,000 and $100,000 annually for sinkhole repairs before increasing that amount to $200,000 about two years ago.

Flooding last year then caused more than $1 million in sinkhole damage at once, he said.

“We’re still seeing elevated numbers from what we’ve seen previously,” Lawhon told commissioners.

The city is also considering repair methods it has not commonly used before, including compaction grouting on one upcoming project.