Nearly three years in the making, Operation PRIDE Chairman Johnny Webb’s vision to transform Bowling Green’s Interstate 65 exits into showpieces for the city and Warren County is coming to fruition.

Webb, who was Bowling Green’s mayor from 1992 through 1995, said initial landscaping at exits 22, 26 and 28 will begin next week, with more extensive work to come later at the “gateway” exits of 20 and 30.

An idea that grew out of Webb’s glimpse of a well-manicured I-65 exit in Hartselle, Ala., the Operation PRIDE effort called “BeautifI-65” comes with a price tag of more than $2 million, most of which Webb said has been raised.

“We have raised enough money to get started, and we now have a starting date of Dec. 7,” Webb said.

While working with Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Federal Highway Administration officials to get the necessary permits, Operation PRIDE contracted with Scotty’s Contracting and with Arnold Consulting Engineering Services to come up with a plan to turn plain-looking interstate interchanges into inviting exits that Webb hopes will lure some travelers off the highway.

The initial project will involve a subcontractor, Louisville-based architectural and engineering firm Luckett & Farley, planting shade trees like sycamores and tulip poplars and flowering trees like redbuds and crepe myrtles along with evergreens and flowers near the three exits.

“You can imagine if someone is driving down the interstate and comes upon these interchanges that are beautifully maintained,” Webb said. “They’re going to be influenced.”

Influenced to give businesses along those exits a cash infusion, Webb and local tourism professionals hope.

“I didn’t know what I was getting into when I started this project,” Webb said. “But it has been worthwhile.

“We have 22 million vehicles per year going up and down I-65. If we can just pull a few more off the highway to eat at our restaurants and visit our attractions, it will be a win for the city and county.”

Beth Noffsinger, communications director for the Bowling Green Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, also sees potential in the project.

“It’s definitely a project that we support,” Noffsinger said. “I’m glad we have an organization like Operation PRIDE that works to beautify our community. This is a great opportunity to entice travelers into our community. Anything you can do to make your community more welcoming is great.”

Chris Higgins, vice president for engineering and construction at Scotty’s, said the work by Luckett & Farley at the three interchanges shouldn’t be a lengthy project.

“Scotty’s will be handling traffic control, getting construction traffic in and out,” Higgins said. “It should go pretty quickly.”

Joe Plunk, chief engineer for the KYTC’s District 3 office in Bowling Green, said having “an experienced contractor with traffic management experience” like Scotty’s helped Operation PRIDE get the permits needed to move forward with the project.

Both Plunk and ACES founder Jeff Arnold said the landscaping projects at the three exits shouldn’t cause a big disruption in traffic.

“Traffic control is a big deal, and nobody has more experience at that than Scotty’s,” Arnold said. “We can only impact one interchange at a time.”

Webb’s vision for the rest of the “BeautifI-65” project at exits 20 and 30 is a bit more extensive than the landscaping that will take place at the three interior interchanges.

Plans call for gateway signs at those exits, along with raised stone planting beds with free-standing red letters that spell out BOWLING GREEN surrounded by colorful flags. The signs will be lit at night.

Webb’s vision is for those exits to have decorative four-plank horse fencing that will need to be located on private property.

“Some of the things we want to do will depend on how much more money we raise,” Webb said. “Every nickel has been raised privately.”

– Follow business reporter Don Sergent on Twitter @BGDNbusiness or visit bgdailynews.com.