Now that a $17.8 million federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant agreement has been executed, design work will begin in earnest for significant safety improvements on Chapman Highway between Blount Avenue and Woodlawn Pike.
“With a $4.45 million City match, this is a $22.5 million combined effort – that’s game-changing,” Mayor Indya Kincannon said. “This heavily-used corridor will become safer for all users – motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.
“By creating a shared bike and pedestrian pathway that’s separated from vehicles, this will improve safety for everyone and reduce roadway conflicts. It also opens up new ways for people to visit the shops, restaurants, apartments and new SoKno Rail Trail and Art Walk. If someone chooses to, he or she can leave their car parked and enjoy a pleasant bike ride or walk to get where they want to go.”
This part of South Knoxville is rapidly growing. Kerns Food Hall, new businesses and large residential communities have opened on both sides of Chapman Highway. The trailhead for the SoKno Rail Trail and Art Walk that’s under construction is nearby.
“The aim is for everyone to be able to fully access and enjoy the unique quality-of-life amenities along this roughly 0.75-mile-long corridor,” Vision Zero Coordinator Cody Gentry said. “Safety rightfully always comes first, and this project will reduce many potential dangers.”
Besides the shared pathway, which separates pedestrians and bicyclists from fast-moving cars and trucks, landscaped medians and improved intersections will be designed and installed.
These medians provide safe spaces for pedestrians crossing at intersections, but they also cue motorists to obey the speed limits and slow down. Chapman will feel less like a four-lane highway carrying 26,000 vehicles a day – and more like an urban boulevard through a densely-populated neighborhood.
Design work and right-of-way acquisition are expected to take about four years, with actual construction to start in 2030. The project is to be completed by March 2031.