KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — The City of Knoxville is asking residents to help shape the future of safety improvements along Chapman Highway as planners move forward with a major transportation project aimed at reducing crashes and making the busy corridor safer for everyone.
City officials hosted an open house Thursday to gather feedback on preliminary concepts for the Chapman Highway Safety Improvement Project, a more than $22 million effort funded through a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grant and local matching funds.
According to city officials, the project is supported by a $17 million federal grant awarded in 2024, combined with city funding to address long-standing safety concerns along one of South Knoxville’s busiest roadways.
“Tonight’s really just the first kind of stage,” said Vision Zero Manager Cody Gentry. “We’ve developed a preliminary concept. We want to get the public’s input, then refine that design based on their input.”
Focused on Safety for All Road Users
Gentry emphasized that the project is not solely focused on pedestrians or cyclists despite some public perceptions.
“Many people think this is just a bike or pedestrian safety project, but this is a safety project for all users,” Gentry said. “We want this to be safer for people inside of a vehicle as well as those outside of the vehicle.”
The goal is to reduce crashes, improve roadway safety and create safer travel conditions regardless of how people use the corridor.
The project falls under Knoxville’s Vision Zero initiative, which seeks to reduce serious traffic injuries and fatalities through roadway design improvements and safety-focused planning.
Construction Still Several Years Away
City planners will now review public feedback and use that information to update and refine engineering plans before moving into later design phases.
While the project remains in the planning stage, officials say construction is currently scheduled to begin in 2029.
The overall project is expected to be completed by 2031.
Officials encourage residents, businesses and frequent Chapman Highway travelers to review the proposed concepts and share feedback as planning continues.
City leaders say public input will play a key role in determining final project designs and priorities before the project advances toward construction.
