Millions of dollars for state road projects in the region are on hold as the state grapples with a dwindling road fund.

Last week, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Greg Thomas introduced the “Pause-50” plan to restore funding levels to the road fund. That will entail not starting about $145 million in state-funded road projects for now with a goal of starting some next year.

As a result, many regional road projects in the state’s two-year road plan approved by legislators in April are on hold indefinitely.

The road plan contained about $110 million for Warren County projects.

“Warren County got a lot – it’s encouraging and discouraging at the same time,” said Ryan Watts of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

The projects on hold – for now – include:

•widening Scottsville Road to six lanes from Three Springs Road to Wilkinson Trace/Ashley Circle.

•widening the two-lane Shive Lane from Ken Bale Boulevard to Middle Bridge Road to five lanes with sidewalks, then continue the road through what is now a field to Lovers Lane. The new road would end at Lovers Lane opposite Searcy Way to create a four-way intersection.

The cabinet is evaluating those and other projects to determine which, if any, to pursue this year, based on factors such as need, safety and traffic volume, Watts said. It plans to finalize that review late this summer or early fall.

Projects that utilize federal funding will move ahead, such as a new Interstate 65 interchange and connector to serve the Kentucky Transpark. The project is anticipated to open to traffic in phases – with the first phase to U.S. 68 open in July 2017, and the second phase to U.S. 31-W open to traffic in November 2017, Watts said.

Also moving ahead is upgrading the William H. Natcher Parkway to interstate standards in order to establish the “I-165” route between Bowling Green and Owensboro.

The goal for the “Pause-50” plan is to allocate $50 million on state-funded projects next year – if the funding is there. “We say pause 50, but it could be pause $25 million or pause $10 million,” Watts said. “If the revenue flow is good, we can prioritize some projects.”

State-funded road resurfacing projects will continue this year.

Kentucky road spending has exceeded revenues by almost $500 million since fiscal year 2014, according to a news release from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Another factor spurring the delayed spending is the decline of 6.5 cents per gallon in the motor fuels tax in FY 2015. “As a result, Road Fund revenues over FY 2015-2016 period are anticipated to be $152 million less than FY 2014 revenues,” according to the release.

“The bottom line is that our current level of spending is unsustainable, and quite frankly, unacceptable,” Thomas said in the release. “There are several reasons and causes for concern. However, we feel that we have the situation under control.”

Bowling Green Mayor Bruce Wilkerson was philosophical about the delay in area projects. “We’re disappointed, but if you don’t have the money, you can’t move forward,” Wilkerson said.

— Follow city government reporter Wes Swietek on Twitter @BGDNgovtbeat or visit bgdailynews.com.