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Commission forwards $5 million for Pellissippi Parkway right-of-way after public outcry
Summary
After extensive public comment opposing local funding, the Blount County workshop voted 11-5 to refer Resolution 267002 — $5 million for TDOT right-of-way acquisition for the Pellissippi Parkway extension — to the full commission.
Blount County commissioners on July 9 voted to forward Resolution 267002, a proposed $5,000,000 county contribution for right-of-way acquisition tied to the Pellissippi Parkway extension, to the full commission by an 11-5 tally.
Public speakers during the workshop repeatedly urged commissioners to reject local funding for the proposal, arguing the project is not currently funded beyond planning horizons and that local priorities and safety projects were already canceled to cover state reallocations. Speakers cited multiple figures during public comment: one resident warned of a $56,000,000 local exposure in a different phrasing, another named a $11,000,000 figure for local contributions, and others referred to canceled projects (Montvale Road, Morganton Road, and US-129 Bypass) with amounts they said were diverted.
Ingrid Hahn, who said she lives in District 10, told commissioners the project "has been kicked down the road by TDOT over and over again" and noted the regional mobility plan estimates construction could be no earlier than 2036. Nina Gregg, representing Citizens Against the Pellissippi Parkway Extension, emphasized that the agreement contains no firm commitment to build and that federal and state funding are not guaranteed: "The project is not funded," she said, adding that local land donations and county dollars were being asked for without a guaranteed timeline.
County staff explained the governance and split for projects involving multiple jurisdictions when asked about how costs and revenues would be shared. Residents also raised questions about parcels being sold to outside developers before the county had acquired right-of-way, and about why previously planned safety projects were canceled.
Next steps: Resolution 267002 was forwarded to the full commission for final consideration. The workshop record shows significant public opposition and multiple requests from commissioners for additional transparency on funding, parcel lists and legal commitments before a final vote.
