KCDC receives grant to improve pedestrian access in Western Heights and Beaumont neighborhoods
Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) has been awarded a $1.7 million Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Demonstration Grant from the U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to improve pedestrian access for key neighborhoods included in the Transforming Western initiative.
The funding will be used to install five signalized crosswalks to improve pedestrian safety around Beaumont Magnet Academy and Western Heights Head Start. It will also provide safer access to the new park planned for the neighborhood. This will include improvements to the intersection at Reed Street and Oldham Avenue.
The grant award will also go to increase Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programming at Beaumont promoting safety strategies like Walking School Bus (WSB) or bike trains, where teachers or other adult volunteers accompany children as they walk or bike to or from school.
“This grant funding will help in our mission to create safe and walkable communities,” KCDC Executive Director and CEO Ben Bentley said. “We’re excited to see these areas transformed into accessible neighborhoods where families can walk or bike safely to school and play.”
The funding was requested to complement the overall Transforming Western Plan and the City of Knoxville Vision Zero Plan, which seeks to eliminate traffic fatalities on City-controlled roads by 2040.
The funds are awarded as a demonstration grant so participation and utilization of the new neighborhood elements will be monitored and reported to the DOT.
The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary program was established as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). With over $5 billion in appropriated funds over five years, the SS4A program funds regional, local and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. The program supports the DOT’s National Roadway Safety Strategy and its goal of zero roadway deaths.
Transforming Western is a comprehensive plan for the Western Heights and Beaumont neighborhoods to enhance access to safe housing, economic opportunity, transportation and youth development.
The plan also seeks to transform opportunity in the area by boosting internet access, the availability of healthcare and living wage jobs. The undertaking is the culmination of engagement over several years with residents and other community members to create a safe and cohesive community that improves educational outcomes and creates a stronger connection to arts, culture and entrepreneurship.
More information about the Transforming Western initiative is available at transformingwestern.com.
About Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation
Since 1936, KCDC has been dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for the citizens of Knoxville. KCDC’s mission is to improve and transform neighborhoods and communities by providing high-quality affordable housing, advancing development initiatives and fostering self-sufficiency. For more information, call 865-403-1100 or visit kcdc.org.
