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KATZ, NetTrans and TDOT give service and project updates at Kingsport MPO meeting
Summary
Transit operators reported ridership gains, promotions and hiring plans while county and TDOT staff outlined paving, bridge and resurfacing schedules. Sullivan County said it placed roughly 28,000 tons of asphalt this year; NetTrans and KATZ described expanded service and outreach.
Transit operators and state/county staff provided a round of partner updates at the Kingsport MPO executive‑board meeting.
A representative from KATZ reported that the agency added a fifth route on Sept. 29 and has seen increased ridership; the speaker said the agency completed its eighth annual rodeo, is running a Dial‑A‑Ride half‑price ticket promotion and will conduct outreach to Dobbins‑Bennett’s transition school‑to‑work program. The KATZ representative said the agency is fully staffed.
Ashley, grants and compliance manager at NetTrans, said NetTrans won regional awards at a state rodeo and that a TDOT‑sponsored comprehensive operational analysis will begin with CD Smith as consultant; she added that a new hiring class of non‑drivers begins Dec. 1.
Eric Kearney of the Sullivan County Highway Department reported that the county has placed roughly 28,000 tons of asphalt year‑to‑date and paved about 14 miles in the Kingsport MPO area, with 9 miles inside the urban growth boundary. He listed upcoming state‑aid projects that will benefit Kingsport, including Fall Creek and Reservoir projects.
TDOT staff provided multiple project updates including an upcoming December letting for the Fort Robertson/Bridal utilities work, a multi‑year schedule for State Route 126, preconstruction planning for I‑26 rock‑fall mitigation in early 2026 and an anticipated 2027 start for a Stone Drive replacement following an early‑December RFP. Board members stressed better early coordination with local project managers and said local stakeholders have been invited into bridge‑project meetings such as the SR‑93 bridge over the railroad.
Andrew Davis, an orientation and mobility specialist with the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, introduced himself and offered to advise on intersection design and accessibility for cane and guide‑dog travelers. He said he covers 16 counties and will be available after the meeting for questions.
No public comment was recorded on these updates. Several projects cited local funding or bond financing where noted; for example, staff said a locally funded Eastman Road/Jack White intersection upgrade (no federal or state money) is planned for next summer.
