KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — City leaders and community members gathered Wednesday evening to talk about possible improvements to a section of Papermill Drive.
Leaders said they are working to finalize the improvements, creating a concept plan and gathering input from residents about the section between Kingston Pike and Weisgarber Road.
Many people say they are concerned about heavy traffic that tends to accumulate along the one-lane road, saying it can lead to safety issues. Turn-ins for businesses are also limited, causing congestion as people try to turn into different storefronts.
They also said the section of the road also does not have accommodations for bicyclists and pedestrians, making it more dangerous for people who walk by the road.
The city organized a $100,000 study using 80% of federal money to learn more about what the road specifically needs. They said possible solutions would also need to incorporate a creek that routinely floods on one side of the road, with utility lines already established on the opposite side.
The "Papermill Drive Corridor Study" proposes improvements like a continual center turn lane, with a sidewalk on the south side and a shared-use path on the north side for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Those improvements are estimated to cost more than $13 million. City leaders would try to get federal funding with a local match to help pay for the project.