The City of Sevierville Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted last week to approve local funding of Phase 1 of a new greenway.
Construction of Phase 1 of the Hospital to Eastgate Greenway will likely begin in December 2010 or early 2011. Local contractor Charles Blalock and Sons was awarded the contract.
The project is being built with a TDOT Enhancement Grant that was received by the City in 2000. Eighty percent of the $389,235.50 project cost will be funded by the grant; the remaining 20 percent will be funded by the City.
Weather and other conditions permitting, construction should be complete for a dedication on Arbor Day in spring 2011.
The original goal of the greenway was to connect the Sevierville Middle and Intermediate Schools in the High Street/Eastgate Road area, with the Primary School and Fort Sanders Sevier Medical Center on Middle Creek Road.
In addition, the greenway was designed to serve as a component of an alternative transportation corridor to connect downtown Sevierville to the City of Pigeon Forge.
However, changes in the federal grant program, coupled with the construction of Veteran’s Boulevard and the moving of the hospital (now called LeConte Medical Center), resulted in the redesign of the project into two phases.
The greenway will start at the newly created green space that was a result of the relocation of Millwood Drive next to the new LeConte Medical Center. A trailhead park will be built at the location which will include lighting, parking, a pavilion, picnic area and bicycle racks.
The greenway crossing at Middle Creek Road will include pedestrian crossing safety lights. It will continue along Blanton Drive in front of the Primary School and then take advantage of the existing greenway along Veterans Boulevard. Phase I will end with a plaza area at the intersection of Middle Creek Road and Veterans Boulevard.
In addition to landscaping along the greenway, the project includes the planting of trees at the trailhead and along Blanton Drive. The new trees will be funded through a grant that was received by the Sevierville Trees/Trails and Beautification Committee.
The City has applied for grant money for construction of Phase II of the greenway project, however TDOT is not expect to announce those grant awards until sometime in 2011.
Bob Parker, Director of Parks and Recreation would like to thank City leaders for their support, patience and understanding over the past few years as construction of greenways with federal funding has become very complex. In addition, Parker especially thanks the Sevier County government and Sevier County Board of Education for providing easements along Blanton Drive to make the project possible.
 

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