Bowling Green approves $363,137 change order to raise, widen Cave Mill Road after April flooding

The Bowling Green Board of Commissioners on Dec. 16 approved a change order of $363,137 to the contract with American Engineers Inc., bringing the Cave Mill Road corridor project total to $1,610,650.

City staff and the city engineer said the revision was prompted by flooding in April that showed portions of the planned roadway would still be below FEMA flood elevation. Kyle Hunt, the city engineer, told commissioners the redesign raises a key stretch of roadway about 4–5 feet to place it outside the floodplain and that the team purchased four properties near Hunting Creek Drive to provide additional flood mitigation.

"In April the flood elevation actually reached what the new elevation of the road was supposed to be," Kyle Hunt said, explaining why the consultant returned to redesign parts of the roadway and drainage. He said the work also includes widening between Crossings Boulevard and Scottsville Road to add an additional eastbound lane and that three traffic signals (Crossings, Chandler Drive and the Greenwood Mall entrance) will need redesigned signal equipment and poles as a result.

Officials told the commission the project is state-funded but managed by city public works planning and design; the change order reflects design and timing impacts from the flooding. Commissioners asked whether raising the roadway would create new runoff risks for nearby homes; Hunt said engineers analyzed the drainage and designed for no additional off-site flooding impacts outside the flood zones.

The motion to approve the change order was moved by Commissioner Perrigan, seconded by Commissioner Beasley Brown, and carried by roll call vote.

Next steps include completing the redesigned plans, coordinating signal equipment relocation, and moving to construction procurement consistent with state funding and review schedules.