Knox County identifies key traffic improvements, from pedestrian safety to modern roads

Silas Sloan, Knoxville News Sentinel
·3 min read

Advance Knox is creating a plan that will guide Knox County's growth for the next 20 years. That plan is starting to take shape ahead of a May deadline.

The Advance Knox process is creating a long-term plan to determine everything from types of homes that are built to where infrastructure investments are made. Public participation is key in making sure a plan that works for residents gets adopted.

The consulting firm leading the initiative showed the draft plan and shared what's next with the Knox County Commission on Monday.

While a third round of public input is ongoing, project manager Allison Fluitt of Kimley-Horn and Associates showed the commissioners feedback from the second round of input from October. From that second round of input, more than 4,000 residents said they favored a development plan that would prioritize clustered, multi-use developments throughout the county rather than the sprawling, single-family strategy the county tends toward now.

The preferred scenario is created based on input from the public on how it wants the county to grow.
The preferred scenario is created based on input from the public on how it wants the county to grow.

That second round of input has been incorporated into a "preferred scenario." That scenario will be translated into drafts of the land use plan and transportation plan, which the commissioners got a chance to review Monday.

Early versions of the land use plan and transportation plan – the documents that will guide where and how homes, businesses and roads will be built across Knox County – are part of the public input sessions happening through April 6.

At the input sessions, attendees get a chance to prioritize infrastructure projects, including road widenings, greenways and sidewalk improvements.

The future land use map is similar to the preferred scenario, but is more specific about where certain types of development should go.
The future land use map is similar to the preferred scenario, but is more specific about where certain types of development should go.

"I want to encourage everyone to turn out for one of these events," Commissioner Kim Frazier said at the Monday commission meeting. "For years we have heard that you want a voice in the plans and the growth of Knox County. This is your opportunity."

Public sessions and an online survey are happening through April 6, and the feedback will be incorporated into a final plan by May. The final scenario will have to be approved by the Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission and the Knox County Commission.

What can you expect at Advance Knox public input sessions?

Public input sessions last at least an hour.

The presentation is about 15-20 minutes long, but could go longer depending on questions, which Advance Knox and Knox County representatives can answer.

After the presentation, the public can walk around the room to see four maps representing different areas of Knox County. These maps show how land could be used and what transportation projects are being considered.

Maps and priorities list from an Advance Knox worksession on March 27, 2023. Four sets of maps and tables are shown, each representing a quadrant of Knox County.
Maps and priorities list from an Advance Knox worksession on March 27, 2023. Four sets of maps and tables are shown, each representing a quadrant of Knox County.

Along with viewing the maps, attendees can help prioritize the types of improvement projects that happen and where, while understanding how much those projects cost. They are:

  • Safety enhancing projects

  • Roadway modernization projects

  • Capacity adding projects

  • New greenway projects

  • Pedestrian improvements

Different parts of the county will face different challenges. For example, southwest Knox County needs more roadway modernization and greenway projects, while the northwest county has far more safety improvement projects.

Comment cards will be available to give more feedback on each map.

When are the next Advance Knox public input meetings?

There are a mix of in-person and virtual work sessions left to attend. If you're planning on attending a virtual session, you will need to register.

March 29

  • Noon: Virtual session

  • 5:30 p.m.: In-person at Northshore Elementary School

March 30

  • 5:30 p.m.: In-person at Bonny Kate Elementary School

April 6

  • Noon: Virtual session

If you can't attend any of the meetings, you can still provide input through the online survey by visiting planning-next.com/knox-priorities-week/.

Silas Sloan is a growth and development reporter. Email silas.sloan@knoxnews.com. Twitter @silasloan. Instagram @knox.growth.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knox County seeks public input on land use and transportation plan