An agreement with property developers may eventually help alleviate traffic on Scottsville Road.

What’s being called the Cherry Farm-Cumberland Trace connector is still just an idea on paper, but it will happen as development occurs on about 10 acres off Cherry Lane.

The City-County Planning Commission and then the city, in zoning approved this month, required that the developer deed a 50-foot right of way and build the road as the property develops.

The new road would call for a signalized intersection at Scottsville Road, where the city already is building an extension of Greenwood Lane on the other side of Scottsville Road.

Mayor Elaine Walker is excited about the potential for the private project to dovetail with the public project being done by the city. Walker said the grade and drain is done on that project but any paving will have to wait until the spring.

“We had hoped to have that ready for the open of school this year, but it will definitely be ready for the opening of school next year,” Walker said.

The proposed new extension would run from Cumberland Trace to Cherry Lane, which connects to Scottsville Road near the city’s new fire station.

While it would not be a substitute for a realignment of Cumberland Trace, it might provide the desired effect of the realignment, since that won’t happen for some time, according to Greg Meredith, chief district engineer for the state Department of Highways in Bowling Green.

Area leaders had wanted to realign Cumberland Trace away from its current intersection to move some of the traffic away from the congested area.

What actually has been funded by the state is the expansion of Cumberland Trace where it exists. That project was in the planning stages for more than 10 years and was funded by the spring General Assembly to the tune of $4.3 million.

It involves adding a third lane to the road from Scottsville Road to McFadden’s Station subdivision and then widening the shoulder from McFadden’s to near Cemetery Road.

“The final plans for that are done and we are hoping for a bid letting sometime next year – probably in the fall,” Meredith said. “We have all the right of way taken care of but are still waiting for the utilities to be moved. The project was to be funded with bond money, so it should still be on track.”

The widening project will make heavily traveled Cumberland Trace safer.

The plans for the new, privately built connector road also would be responsible for making the area safer.

It will probably be similar to the Avery Court area, which ties into Lovers Lane with three lanes, Meredith said.

The 50-foot right of way is adequate for three lanes and curb and gutter.

“It will be just like any city street that ties into a state road,” he said.

“For right now (until the Cumberland Trace realignment), it gives us another relief valve for people who want to go south, not unlike the Shive Lane extension to Bale Boulevard,” Meredith said.

Walker said as the city’s budget continues to tighten, it’s unrealistic to expect that it can build any new roads. That’s why it’s important to get agreements in writing from developers that will help provide adequate roadways.