The Owensboro-Daviess County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has approved a series of bicycle and pedestrian projects aimed at improving connectivity between parks and expanding the city’s Greenbelt Trail.
Tom Lovett, the MPO director, said the projects were among those recommended through the Carbon Reduction Program and will now be incorporated into the region’s Transportation Improvement Plan. Once added, the MPO will work with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to initiate funding and determine local match responsibilities.
Lovett said the projects are designed to increase pedestrian and cyclist access across several key corridors, with a focus on linking recreational areas and filling in existing network gaps.
According to MPO documents, the recommendations include:
- Extending the Greenbelt from Daniels Lane alongside U.S. 60 to an abandoned road that connects to Reid Road (approximate cost: $200,000; $160,000 federal, $40,000 local match).
- Extending the Greenbelt along Fairview Drive from the city limits to Calumet Trace ($42,000; $33,600 federal, $8,400 local).
- Adding sharrows to connect Shively Park and Cap Gardner Park via Bittel Road, Oxford Avenue, and Ford Avenue ($10,000; $8,000 federal, $2,000 local).
- Adding sharrows connecting English Park and Cravens Pool through Hanning Lane, Castlen Street, West Fifth Street, Omega Street, and Cravens Avenue ($7,500; $6,000 federal, $1,500 local).
- Installing 10 bike repair stations across the city ($18,000; $14,400 federal, $3,600 local).
In total, the bicycle and pedestrian improvements are estimated to cost $277,500, with approximately $222,000 funded through the Carbon Reduction Program and $55,500 coming from local match funds.
Lovett said the County engineer also proposed an additional Greenbelt extension from the intersection of Hayden Road and Fairview Drive, running along the south side of U.S. 60 to Daniels Lane, at a cost of $380,000 ($304,000 federal, $76,000 local).
Lovett said the MPO’s role now turns to coordinating with City and County officials to finalize the local match portion of the funding.
“The money that we have to do these projects is 80/20 — they pay 80%, and then someone else has to pay the 20%, which is the local match,” he said. “We have to figure out if that’s going to be the City or the County.”
Lovett said he’s optimistic about how these improvements will enhance Owensboro’s active transportation network.
“I think people do care about this,” he said. “We took this out for public comment, and we got about 30-some comments. There were some ‘no’s, but most people see the value in improving bike and pedestrian access.”
