The Greenways Commission of Bowling Green and Warren County, instrumental in establishing many local walking and bicycling trails, may itself be taking a bit of a detour in the coming months.

Following the departure in August of Greenways Coordinator Miranda Clements, who took a job in Nashville, city and county officials are trying to determine the best way to continue the work begun by the commission, established in 2001 as an outgrowth of the original Greenways Committee that was formed in 1995.

Established with the mission statement “To develop a network of walking and biking pathways that bring the community and nature together,” the Greenways Commission has procured millions of dollars worth of grants that have helped make progress toward that mission.

But getting grants and pursuing projects in isolation may no longer be the best role for the commission, which may eventually be incorporated into the Bowling Green-Warren County Metropolitan Planning Organization that is itself under the umbrella of the City-County Planning Commission.

“We are a little early in the conversation to know our next steps,” said Planning Commission Executive Director Ben Peterson. “We are evaluating how to best evolve Greenways to be more integrated into the transportation planning process with the MPO rather than it being a separate board.”

Instead of limiting its clout, such a move could give Greenways a stronger voice, Peterson said.

“This should help provide a voice for Greenways in the overall transportation system along with transit, pedestrian and automobile planning,” Peterson said. “The Greenways Commission existed prior to the MPO and prior to the MPO being integrated into the planning commission. The next logical thing may be to combine all forms of transportation planning into one group so we can better plan a multimodal system rather than just a system of roads or a system of greenways.”

Greenways Commission Chairwoman Jennifer Tougas is open to any change that would allow the work of establishing pedestrian and bicycle paths to continue.

“From my point of view, if we’re able to accomplish what we want to accomplish, I’m in favor of it,” said Tougas, a volunteer like the other 11 members of the Greenways Commission. “Getting a seat at the table when the planning process is taking place, that’s the best thing that can happen.”

Tougas pointed out that the Greenways Commission’s master plan of having a network of greenspaces and greenways encircling and infiltrating the community is still moving forward.

Starting with a $4.5 million federal grant in 2003, the Greenways Commission has been able to complete such projects as construction of trails at Kereiakes and Riverfront parks, construction of trails from Boatlanding Park to Hobson Grove and renovation of the College Street pedestrian bridge.

More recently, a $990,000 grant helped build trails connecting Rich Pond Elementary to South Warren High School and Buchanon Park.

Tougas said a West End project that will improve pedestrian trails in the Delafield area and another project that will establish a trail behind Henry F. Moss Middle School are in the works.

Plans on the Greenways Commission website lay out a greenbelt system that connects the various pedestrian and bike trails around the city. Completing that master plan will require funding that Bowling Green Mayor and MPO Policy Committee member Bruce Wilkerson said is getting harder to find.

“The Greenways Commission has done some outstanding things with a system that encourages walking, biking and running,” he said. “Plans are already in place to complete the entire project.

“Adjustments can be made on road projects when they come up. The ideas have already been prepared. We just need the funding to do it.”

Another MPO Policy Committee member, Warren County Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon, believes the Greenways Commission has done important work that he would like to see continue.

“I would like for the planning by this citizenry group to continue,” he said, “as I believe they are making our community a better place to live and a friendlier, safer and more attractive place for people to locate their families and businesses.”