Work continues on new Jennings Creek boardwalk

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A new boardwalk project along Jennings Creek is moving forward as part of continued efforts to expand the Creekwood Greenway and improve public access to natural areas in the city.

City officials say they are moving ahead with Apex Design Group of LaGrange as the lowest responsive bidder for the Jennings Creek Boardwalk and Area Project. The project carries a cost of $377,143.56 and will be funded through a Kentucky Community Development Block Grant.

The work includes approximately 124 linear feet of precast PermaTrak boardwalk, which will connect into the existing greenway through a concrete sidewalk connection. The elevated structure will sit about 30 inches above the wetland area, allowing visitors to safely travel into the tributary area and get closer views of Jennings Creek.

“This project will consist of installing a prefabricated boardwalk system… it’s approximately 124 linear foot… it’ll go through the tributary area to get individuals closer to Jennings Creek,” said Daniel Colter, public works planner with the City of Bowling Green.

Officials say the goal is to improve accessibility while enhancing the overall user experience along the greenway. The boardwalk is designed to allow people of all abilities, including those using wheelchairs and families with strollers, to more easily access the natural environment.

“This project’s more about accessibility and connection,” Colter said. “It connects two points of the Greenway in a way that hasn’t happened before, allowing individuals of all abilities to get closer to Jennings Creek and into that nature element.”

The project is currently in the contracting phase, with Apex Design Group finalizing documents and preparing materials for construction. Officials say the boardwalk system has a lead time of approximately four to six weeks, with completion expected by July of this year.

Beyond the boardwalk, city leaders say additional projects are also underway in the surrounding area, including a culvert replacement on Whispering Hills Boulevard. That project is currently moving through FEMA permitting, including a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR), which could help lower the floodplain and support rebuilding efforts for homes impacted by flooding.

Another planned improvement includes extending Greenhill Street to Veterans Memorial Boulevard (U.S. 68), along with the addition of a new traffic signal. That project would further connect the city’s greenway system, linking Greenhill to Veterans Memorial and providing additional connectivity toward Hickory Street.

Officials also say there is potential for small design elements within the Jennings Creek project, including subtle butterfly features if funding allows. The idea would serve as a quiet visual tribute to those lost during the December 2021 Western Kentucky tornado outbreak, while maintaining a focus on nature and reflection.

City leaders describe the project as a continued step in recovery and long-term community growth, emphasizing both accessibility and environmental connection along the greenway system.

At its core, officials say the project is about expanding access to nature in a way that has not existed before along Jennings Creek.