Powell’s got parks … and is soon to have a pedestrian bridge over Beaver Creek!
Knox County and the Powell community have just been awarded a $1.5 million multimodal grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation. State Rep. Michele Carringer announced this (without specifics) at the June meeting of PBPA.
Pedestrian bridge: The location is not yet set, but it will serve to link areas around Powell High School, Powell Station Park, Powell Drive and The Crown College. There will be community input meetings soon to help inform the final location.
Design and construction oversight will be by the Knox County Department of Engineering and Public Works, headed by senior director Jim Snowden. Cathy Olsen, director of environment and planning at Knox County EPW, was instrumental in writing the grant.
This is a HUGE win for Powell. The bridge will enhance safety for so many – especially facilitating emergency evacuation from Powell High School. And just think how nice it will be to walk or bike the greenway, then safely cross the creek to miles of sidewalks along Powell Drive.
With construction actively underway, the sidewalk system will be further expanded to run south from Powell Drive down Brickyard Road to, and along, Beaver Creek Drive (and the new roundabout). Plans call for sidewalks on Beaver Creek Drive to connect Temple Baptist Church and The Crown College. How’s that for enhanced connectivity?!
Sports Courts: And here’s some more great news. Knox County has budgeted funds to renovate the Sports Courts at the rear of Powell Middle School. Currently, the three tennis courts are very old and underused. The project will include:
• Enhanced driveway and parking
• Signage
• A modern tennis court
• Pickleball courts
• Outdoor basketball court
Parks & Rec senior director Joe Mack says the project was included in the current fiscal year’s budget, proposed by Mayor Glenn Jacobs and approved by Knox County Commission, so it’s just a matter of scheduling the work. The fiscal year runs July 2023 through June 2024.
Wish List: How about a mountain bike/BMX trail? There looks to be good potential for a trail system in the bottoms area near Beaver Creek, running generally along the TVA power line easement extending from Brickyard Road to Clinton Highway.
This would be another point of connection between the new Angora Frog Farm, the Beaver Creek Water Trail, Powell Station Park and the Powell Greenway. – a place for kids and kids-at-heart to have some off-road adventures.
Increased connectivity, enhanced safety and more options for outdoor exercise make Powell an even better place to live, work, play and do business.
Steven Goodpaster is a commercial property appraiser with Woodford & Associates who has served as president of the Broadacres Neighborhood Association and as chair of Enhance Powell.