Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) is proposing route and schedule changes to several routes which, if approved, would take effect in January 2020.

 

Proposed Changes by Route:

Route 12 – Western Avenue:  To improve on-time performance and connections as well as streamline the route, the proposal is to make the current detour routing through the area of Western Heights a permanent change, using Virginia to Murphy.  Due to the recent street realignment of Western Avenue, portions of Virginia and Tennessee would no longer be served.

 

Route 13 – Beaumont:

• Adjust the service area of the route to cover additional areas along Middlebrook Pike, including Big Oak Apartments and Helen Ross McNabb’s Veterans’ Service Center, while terminating the route at Central Street and Dameron near the Knox County Health Department.  Additional new bus stops to be added along Middlebrook Pike. Transfers to Route 20 – Central provide direct service to Knoxville Station with almost immediate transferring.  Direct service provided to Public Works Building outbound leg only, with inbound service along Middlebrook Pike.
• Additional evening trip on weekdays.

 

Route 20 – Central Street:  Remove the service extension to Melstone and McClain, keeping the route consistent throughout the day.

 

Route 34 – Burlington:  Remove a 3-block portion at Catalpa, Kirk and Lilac streets, keeping the bus straight on Fern to improve route performance.

 

Route 42 – UT/Ft. Sanders Hospitals:

• Improve headways to 30 minutes on weekdays;
• Continue service through 11:15 p.m. trips in the evening, weekdays and Saturdays;
• Add new Sunday service.

 

Route 90 – Crosstown:

• Change routing to serve Walbrook Superstop (at Wal Mart west), rather than West Town Mall by following Middlebrook to Gallaher View.  Eliminate service through West Hills along Vanosdale and at West Town Mall. Add new bus stops along Middlebrook Pike. This eliminates a double-transfer to Route 16 – Cedar Bluff while still providing connections to West Town Mall via Route 11 – Kingston Pike.
• Saturday schedule adjustment to create consistency with weekday service.
• New routing through I-640 Plaza to improve efficiency, along with service along Third Creek rather than Ed Shouse Drive to Middlebrook.

 

 

Outreach, Public Meetings, and Ways to Comment

For detailed information, the public is invited to visit KAT’s website at www.katbus.com, call 637-3000, or visit KAT’s Customer Service Desk at Knoxville Station Transit Center.

 

Information will be distributed to agencies, housing, and businesses along the affected routes, and the public is encouraged to comment on the proposal.

 

KAT will hold two public open houses in order to explain the changes and accept comments.  Dates are as follows:

• Wednesday, September 11, 2019, 4:30-7:00 pm – Public Works Complex, 3131 Morris Ave. along Route 13 – Beaumont
• Monday, September 16, 2019, 4:30 – 7:00 p.m. – Bearden Middle School Library, 1000 Frances Road along Route 90 – Crosstown

 

In addition, detailed information will be on display at Knoxville Station for review and comment during the month of September.

 

Public Hearing

The Knoxville Transportation Authority will hold a public hearing on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. in the Main Assembly Room of the City County Building, 400 Main Street.

 

If approved at a vote at the October meeting, the changes would take effect January 6, 2020