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Work Begins to Turn Natcher Parkway Into I-65 Spur

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

Motorists who use the William H. Natcher Parkway in Warren County can expect traffic delays through the end of the year. 

Construction work begins on Monday that will upgrade the parkway into an Interstate 65 spur. 

The Natcher will be down to one lane in both directions between exit six at US 31-W, which is Nashville Road, and exit seven at US 68, which is Russellville Road. 

Wes Watt, a spokesman for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s district office in Bowling Green, says the northbound entrance ramp to the Natcher Parkway at US 31-W and the southbound entrance ramp to the Natcher from US 68 will be a stop condition.

"That's a big change," Watt told WKU Public Radio. "We want people to be aware of that and use caution because they're going to have to wait for a gap in traffic before they can pull out onto the parkway because there's not a merge area anymore during construction."

The speed zone in the area will be reduced to 55 miles per hour and wide loads will be restricted. 

While work begins on Monday on the Warren County portion, the entire corridor of the Natcher Parkway will be upgraded to interstate standards and, in a few years, become known as I-165. 

Just over 70 miles make up the entire Natcher Parkway that connects Bowling Green and Owensboro.

Lisa is a Scottsville native and WKU alum. She has worked in radio as a news reporter and anchor for 18 years. Prior to joining WKU Public Radio, she most recently worked at WHAS in Louisville and WLAC in Nashville. She has received numerous awards from the Associated Press, including Best Reporter in Kentucky. Many of her stories have been heard on NPR.
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