A busy stretch of Kingston Pike will be made safer for pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders thanks to a grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation. TDOT has awarded a $946,470 Multimodal Access Grant to the City of Knoxville for the Kingston Pike Complete Connections Project, which will improve Kingston Pike from Wesley Road to the intersection of Papermill Drive and Golfclub Road.
The grant, which requires only a 5 percent match with local funds, will pay for design and installation of new sidewalk on the south side of Kingston Pike, along with installation of crosswalks, pedestrian signals, and a bus shelter at the intersection of Kingston Pike and Golfclub Road. This project will provide a safe pedestrian crossing between two existing transit stops on either side of Kingston Pike.
It will also widen a section of shoulder along Kingston Pike that is part of a signed bicycle route from West Knoxville to downtown.
“This project will really help bicyclists, pedestrians and bus riders navigate a very busy highway,” said Jon Livengood, the City’s Alternative Transportation Coordinator. “It will make it easier for people to get around, no matter which form of transportation they’re using. We are very grateful to Governor Haslam and TDOT Commissioner John Schroer for recognizing the value of this project.”
Examples of projects eligible under the Multimodal Access Fund Program include sidewalks and pedestrian crossing improvements, bus shelters, park and ride facilities, and bicycle lanes. Multimodal Access projects will be funded 95 percent by TDOT, with 5 percent funded with local matching funds. Total individual project costs will not exceed $1 million.
Governor Haslam said, “Improving our facilities for walking, biking, and transit is critical to the continued growth and success of our towns and cities, and these grants help make our communities across Tennessee more livable by creating more transportation options.”
Livengood said design work on the Kingston Pike project should begin later this year.