The KTA board voted to approve staff recommendations to revise Route 1, the Downtown Connector, and Route 16, Cedar Bluff/Middlebrook, following staff presentations and a Title VI equity analysis. Staff said the Route 1 revision meets the Federal Transit Administration threshold for a major service change and increases access for minority and low‑income populations.

Clay Mercer, transit planner for CAT, described the Route 1 revision as an outbound reroute that will serve Covenant Health Park (the Smokies ballpark) and Old City: outbound from Gay Street, right onto Summit Hill Drive, left onto Patton Street into Willow Avenue, left onto Central Street, right onto Summit Hill Drive and back to Gay Street. Mercer said, “This will maintain 15 minute service to the stadium,” and that two new stops would be added (one at the Covenant Health Park shuttle pickup/drop‑off and one at Central and Willow Avenue). He also outlined the Route 16 weekday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m., detour to serve the Dallas Springs medical district via Old Weisgarber Road and Dallas Springs Boulevard and said four new stops would be added to reach clinics and providers there.

A staff member presenting the Title VI analysis told the board that federal rules applied because the system operates 50 or more fixed‑route buses in an urbanized area over 200,000 people and that the board’s Title VI policy defines a “major service change” as a change that affects 25% or more of a route’s transit route miles or revenue vehicle miles for the applicable day. The presenter said the Route 1 change represents a 36.9% service change, exceeding the 25% threshold and therefore qualifying as a major service change; Route 16 was reported as a 0.72% change and not a major change. The presenter summarized the accrual‑of‑benefits analysis showing the percent of minority census‑block access to Route 1 rising to 51% from about 36% prechange and that low‑income access was 59% (compared with a 62% systemwide comparator cited in the analysis).

Staff noted the Title VI maps and tables were produced using Optibus scheduling output combined with American Community Survey and census data (2019–2023) and that some visual materials were created using Remix. A board member asked for the prechange percentages and staff confirmed the minority access rose by roughly 15 percentage points and low‑income access rose by roughly 17 points in the analysis.

After questions, the board took a voice vote to approve the staff recommendations and proceed. The motion was seconded; the board chair called for a voice vote and said, “Aye,” and the chair declared the motion approved. The record shows a voice approval; no roll‑call tally was captured in the meeting transcript.

Why it matters: Staff said the Route 1 change preserves 15‑minute stadium service while routing to additional stops that staff say improve access for minority and low‑income riders. The Route 16 changes target weekday service to multiple medical providers in the Dallas Springs area.

Next steps: Staff will implement the approved routing revisions and the public hearing that had been scheduled was completed as part of the board action. Staff materials referenced the Title VI analysis and maps; the board requested larger printed tables for future meetings.