Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC), in partnership with the City of Knoxville and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has purchased 2323 W. Blount Ave. This piece of land is the primary part needed for the city to construct a new pedestrian bridge.
“This strategic acquisition is a critical step in realizing our community’s vision, which has been more than 15 years in the making,” Mayor Indya Kincannon said.
The planned bridge is a part of the City’s community-inspired South Waterfront Vision plan that was initially adopted by the Knoxville City Council in 2006. The belief behind the plan is that the South Waterfront should be an active, attractive and distinctive part of downtown Knoxville with revitalized businesses and neighborhoods.
“Aesthetically, the pedestrian bridge will immediately become an iconic landmark. Functionally, it will provide safe connectivity between South Knoxville and the rest of the city, including downtown, our greenway system, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. And in terms of enrichment and economic investment, it will help the South Waterfront reach its full potential,” Kincannon said.
The purchase of the land also allows for the creation of additional housing opportunities at a variety of price points and public open space.
“As someone who grew up in the community of South Knoxville, the pedestrian bridge is more than just a physical structure; it’s a critical investment and symbolic link between communities and opportunities,” said UT System President Randy Boyd.
Resources being pumped into the bridge project have faced backlash, however, from people who would rather see the money go towards improving homeless infrastructure and mental health resources.
The project team is currently working to finalize the bridge design and cost estimate to include in the 2024 federal RAISE grant application. The RAISE program is a competitive program that invests in infrastructure projects that are typically harder to support through traditional means of U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) programs.
The development of a master plan for the bridge landing points is scheduled to begin in early 2024.
Story courtesy of WVLT
