Kingsport BMA and TDOT Agree to Boost Funding for Downtown Pedestrian Bridge

KINGSPORT, Tenn., (WJHL) – The Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen entered into an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Transportation to add more funding for a pedestrian bridge downtown.

This agreement would provide $500,000 towards a pedestrian bridge connecting Brickyard Park and Brickyard Village to downtown.

The city had received a grant at the beginning of the project, but due to inflation and rising construction costs, the city requested more.

“Part of our legislative packet this year, we asked that the State of Tennessee consider adding some additional money on top of what they gave us a few years ago, simply to help with inflation and the growing costs that we will see,” City Manager Chris McCartt said. “State Rep. Bud Hulsey, who represents Kingsport, picked that up and carried that through and was very successful in getting over half a million dollars allocated to the City of Kingsport earlier this year.”

The pedestrian bridge has been in the works for almost eight years. McCartt said the project began to create a safer connection to downtown Kingsport.

“As of now there’s one of two options [to get downtown],” McCartt said. “One, you have four railroad tracks that you need to cross, or you’d have to go further down off of Martin Luther King Dr. and then come back up Main St. We felt like a safer alternative would be to look at closing that railroad intersection, build a pedestrian bridge and just allow for much safer crossing for the residents and various events that are going on.”

McCartt added that Kingsport is in the process of planning more projects to make downtown more walkable and accessible.

“One of the things we want to do within this general area is have a five-acre green space for a variety of events, so we see those individuals being able to come over shopping in downtown, eat in downtown, take part in events. In addition, we’re looking at the redevelopment of Cement Hill for a passive park. It aids with the overall economic impact of downtown. One of the things that you look for in a downtown is to put feet on the street.”

The pedestrian bridge is currently being designed. It is expected to be under construction within the next year and a half.