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Twin Burlington Projects Remain on Schedule, Within Budget 
The $17 million combined City investment in a new Burlington fire station and a revitalized streetscape is progressing on schedule and within budget.

Work on the City's first new fire station in three decades has been steady and sure. Crews have completed the interior framing, and the exterior brick, composite and metal cladding will be in place by October.

The new Station No. 6 will be substantially completed by the end of 2026, as promised, with firefighters, equipment and operations moving from the 88-year-old current station to the new state-of-the-art station in early 2027.

New Burlington fire station, as seen in September 2026

New Burlington fire station, on schedule for substantial completion by the end of 2026

Work on the Burlington Streetscapes Project, meanwhile, is shifting eastward — and that means two Burlington intersections will soon be reopening.

The current closure of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue is extending to just east on the new fire station. But as the work zone shifts, the intersections at Oakwood and Kirkwood streets will be reopening in mid-September. The Knoxville Area Transit bus super stop also will be returning to its original Kirkwood Street location.

Since spring, two blocks of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue have been closed between Lakeside and Fern streets, as the initial work focused on new water, sewer and stormwater drainage in that area. The closures included the two intersections.

Through mid-summer, crews also have replaced and updated duct bank, sewer mains and manholes. Unmapped private communications utilities created challenging surprises, but the project team has been able to adjust its plans and stay on schedule.

Two intersections in the Burlington commercial corridor to reopen this month, as streetscape upgrades shift the construction zone eastward.

Officials note that pedestrian access to every business will be maintained throughout the project, except for the short timeframes when work is happening immediately in front of the door — such as when concrete is being poured for a new sidewalk.

Some of the larger Burlington businesses have their own parking lots. For those that do not, remember that limited public parking will continue to be available on the north side of Holston Drive's 3900 block and on Fern Street at Calvin Street.
Posted by evreeland at 6:06 PM