The City of Knoxville will hold a public hearing Monday, July 16, on the draft environmental assessment of the Church Avenue site for the new transit center.

The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Small Assembly Room in the City County Building. It is one of the steps required by the Federal Transit Administration for development of the new transfer station in downtown Knoxville.

The environmental assessment for the site - located on the east end of the Church Avenue Viaduct near the Civic Coliseum - is available at the Public Building Authority office.

It can also be viewed on PBA's website, www.ktn.pba.org under the "projects" button or at www.cityofknoxville.orgComments made during the meeting and the 30-day comment period that follows it will be forwarded to the FTA.

The City is working with the FTA to facilitate the process in a timely manner so that construction on the bridge supports can begin as soon as possible while the James White Parkway is shut down.There would be significant construction cost savings if the project can begin in August.

Mayor Bill Haslam announced last fall that a selection committee had recommended building the new Knoxville Station Transit Center at the east end of Church Avenue after a long site search that initially involved more than 30 potential locations.