TPO approves 11 TIP amendments, removes nearly $58 million in projects; staff outlines FY26–29 programming challenges

The Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization executive board voted April 30 to approve 11 amendments to the region’s Transportation Improvement Program, a set of schedule and funding changes staff said were needed to align the TIP with the newly adopted Mobility Plan. "We have 11 project amendments," Craig Lipke said during the presentation, describing 9 project removals, one new addition and routine schedule updates.

Lipke said nine of the amended projects are air-quality‑exempt projects and two are non‑exempt. The packet removed roughly $58 million in programmed funding from the TIP by deleting projects that are not in TDOT’s current 10‑year plan or not expected to progress within the TIP period. Lipke said the only new funding addition was a TDOT interstate widening project; the rest of the changes remove or shift phases such as construction into separate projects for Kingston Pike and the Broadway Corridor.

Board members clarified that removing a project from the TIP does not permanently eliminate it. "By amending the TIP these projects that are removed it doesn't mean they are eliminated," a member said; staff confirmed projects can be reinserted if TDOT includes them in a future 10‑year plan or if funding changes.

Key removals and changes listed in the presentation included: Montvale Road (SR 336) right‑of‑way; US 129 (SR 115) widening phases; Emery Road (SR 131) design; I‑275/I‑75 Sharp's Gap NEPA/design; Chapman Highway operational/safety design; sections of I‑75 design; Pellissippi Parkway interchange design and right‑of‑way; several local projects in Maryville and Blount County; and reprogramming of one City of Knoxville traffic equipment project to add NEPA, design and right‑of‑way funding while removing the construction phase from that line item.

Lipke explained one example: the City of Knoxville’s traffic equipment upgrade will receive additional NEPA, design and right‑of‑way funds — modest sums presented in the packet — while the construction phase will be carried forward under separate, future construction projects for Kingston Pike and Broadway Corridor.

After discussion the board voted to adopt the amendments. Lipke said the technical committee had recommended approval.

FY26–29 TIP update: staff described the fiscal‑constraint challenge for the next TIP cycle. The solicitation produced 22 new applications and 38 rollover projects. Local STBG requests were especially large (18 new LSTBG projects requesting about $73 million). Total rollover asks and new requests substantially exceed projected revenue; Lipke said that, after accounting for carryover balances and a 10% contingency reserve, the program would require schedule shifts or prioritization to remain fiscally constrained. "The rollover projects take the great lion's share down to roughly a million dollars of the total revenue that we would have available to program and the new project requests then substantially go above that dollar figure," Lipke said.

Staff outlined next steps: consult with applicants on prioritization and schedule adjustments, produce draft TIP documents for TDOT review in June, and return to the TPO for consideration in July with an anticipated final adoption in October. "We would anticipate draft TIPs sometime in that June time period for TDOT review and then, back to you guys hopefully in July and on schedule for looking towards an adoption at the October rounds," Lipke said.

Board members voted to approve the TIP amendments by voice vote. Staff emphasized that schedule changes are driven by the TDOT 10‑year plan and that the TIP remains amendable as funding and schedules change.