More parking spaces for the Cove at Concord Park

A huge shout out to the Knox County Engineering and Public Works Department as crews this week began updating the parking lots at the Cove at Concord Park – the county’s most used park.

They are adding spaces and making it safer for visitors – who come from every part of the county – to enjoy.

The plan is to repave most of the Cove’s overflow gravel parking lot, which is next to the small fishing pond. They’ll leave a portion closest to the pond and the picnic tables gravel and encourage folks to park on the paved area.

Crews also will reconfigure the main parking lot, forming a one-way loop, designed to create more spaces and efficient parking. The old entrances, which were closed last October, will be replaced with grass. The county also will remove any large bushes that block sight of vehicles traveling on S. Northshore Drive.

Then, this fall, when attendance has at the Cove has slowed a bit, construction crews will come back and repave and stripe the main parking lot. They will also install larger signage along S. Northshore Drive, guiding visitors to the entrance.

“This is going to be a great project for the community and the county as a whole,” Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said. “We are always trying to improve our parks and public assets, and this will not only do that but also make it safer for visitors.”

As you might recall, last October, construction crews built a new entrance and exit to the Cove roughly 300 feet east of the old ones. Crews also built a new turn lane for motorists traveling westbound so that traffic can more easily and efficiently flow down S. Northshore Drive. Previously, anyone turning into the popular park would back up traffic.

The overall new project is expected to take about six weeks but will be broken into two phases – one now and the other next fall. Once complete, officials say the project could add 25 to 30 new parking spots.

The main parking lot currently has about 70 spaces and another 70 vehicles can fit into the overflow lot depending on how motorists park.

Also at Engineering and Public Works, my contact there – Brad Warren – said things are a little slow with internal projects, but the department is plugging away at the Schaad Road Extension Project.

This is the largest capital project in the history of Knox County with a construction bid cost of $45.7 million. We’re now in phases 2 and 3. Here’s a snapshot and I’ve included some progress photos: