TDOT draft 10‑year plan lists regional projects, Knox County awarded a statewide partnership project; SS4A NOFO due May 26

At a Knox County area TPO technical committee workshop, staff summarized projects in the Tennessee Department of Transportation draft 10‑year plan that affect the region and alerted members to a near‑term federal grant deadline.

Mike Conger, TPO staff, told the committee that most projects in the draft plan were carried forward from previous lists but that TDOT categorized work into projects already under construction and a regular 10‑year list. He noted that construction projects include sections of Alcoa Highway (near Cherokee Trail), the I‑75/Pellissippi area and an ongoing I‑40 corridor study. "Most of these are ones that were in the previous 10‑year plan. So, there's not a lot of new information here," Conger said.

Knox County and other local projects

Staff highlighted a few regionally significant items: the Pellissippi Parkway extension (previously part of a statewide partnership program award), interchanges on I‑40 at Watt Road and Campbell Station, and a Loudon County I‑75 widening project. Conger said TDOT awarded one statewide partnership program project that would complete a missing link in a Knox County corridor and that county officials had invested local funds on adjacent segments. "Once this piece is done, it would complete a four‑lane kind of a mini bypass from I‑40 at Level Road all the way up to I‑75 at Callahan," Conger said.

Timing and member role

Stacy Morrison, TDOT planning manager, said the draft is expected to be finalized when the General Assembly approves the final state budget, likely by mid‑May, and cautioned that some projects have shifted earlier in the phasing as additional dollars became available. Conger reiterated that TDOT selects projects for the 10‑year plan and the TPO's role in selection is currently limited; members discussed advocating for greater MPO/TPO input on project selection in future iterations.

SS4A NOFO and funding guidance

Staff announced a new Notice of Funding Opportunity for the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, the final round under the current authorization. The NOFO closes May 26, and grants may fund planning, demonstration or implementation. "There are two different types of grants. You can have a planning or demonstration or implementation," Conger said. He urged applicants to read the NOFO carefully because merit criteria have shifted toward hard, on‑the‑ground safety infrastructure in the current federal emphasis and offered TPO data support (fatality metrics) to jurisdictions preparing applications.

Ending and calendar

No formal votes were taken. Staff reminded members the next technical committee meeting is May 12 and the executive board meeting is May 27. A staff departure was announced: Jonah (staff) is leaving and members thanked him for his service.

Ending

The workshop adjourned after scheduling and brief closing remarks.