New Knoxville bicycle-pedestrian connector Urban Wilderness

New Knoxville bicycle-pedestrian connector Urban Wilderness

Knoxville may apply for a grant to create uninterrupted bicycle and pedestrian facilities connecting downtown

New Knoxville bicycle-pedestrian connector Urban Wilderness

Knoxville may apply for a grant to create uninterrupted bicycle and pedestrian facilities connecting downtown to the Urban Wilderness.

City Council members voted unanimously Jan. 24 to authorize the mayor to apply for a $1 million Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure grant.

The proposed project would extend and connect the Cottrell Greenway to the bike lanes and sidewalks on Sevier Avenue.

The Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure (BICI) is a competitive grant program and an initiative to fund “ambitious cycling infrastructure projects” by providing grants of $400,000-$1 million.

Putting cyclists first  

“The grand vision is you could ride from South Knox along Cottrell across James White Parkway into Morningside Park and into downtown,” said 1st District Councilman Tommy Smith.

First district city councilman Tommy Smith speaks at the opening of trails connecting to the new Drop Inn which is located off Sevierville Pike in South Knoxville, Saturday, July 23, 2022.

“It will connect to the streetscape along Sevier Avenue and send you over the river.”

Smith stressed that there would be no reduction in the number of James White Parkway lanes. “It will remain a four-lane bridge, but there is enough room on the shoulder for a dedicated, separate bike lane,” he said.