Feb. 12, 2026
Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) has finalized a contract with the U.S. Department of Transportation that will improve pedestrian safety improve a key intersection within the Transforming Western initiative.
Work for the project will start later this year and will be complete in late 2027.
With a finalized contract, the approved grant funding can now be used to install five signalized crosswalks to improve pedestrian safety around Western Heights Head Start and provide safer access to the new park and new school planned for the neighborhood. The intersection at Reed Street and Oldham Avenue also will be improved.
“The funding and finalized contract are part of our focus on enhancing walkability within our residential communities,” KCDC Executive Director and CEO Ben Bentley said. “Transforming Western, which has begun to take shape for residents, has been intentional about creating accessible neighborhoods where children and families have safe areas to walk.”
In 2024, KCDC was awarded the $1.7 million Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Demonstration Grant from the U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT). With a finalized contract, the approved funding can now be released and planning work begun.
The funds will increase Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programming at Beaumont promoting safety strategies like Walking School Bus (WSB) or bike trains, where teachers or other adult volunteers accompany children as they walk or bike to or from school. The programming will be implemented in partnership with Bike Walk Knoxville.
The funding complemented the overall Transforming Western Plan and the City of Knoxville Vision Zero Plan, which seeks to eliminate traffic fatalities on city-controlled roads by 2040.
The funds are awarded as a demonstration grant so participation and utilization of the new neighborhood elements will be monitored and reported to the DOT.
The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary program was established as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). With over $5 billion in appropriated funds over five years, the SS4A program funds regional, local and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. The program supports the DOT’s National Roadway Safety Strategy and its goal of zero roadway deaths.
Transforming Western is a comprehensive plan for the Western Heights and Beaumont neighborhoods to enhance access to housing, transportation, economic opportunity and youth development. The Overlook at Beaumont, the first phase of new housing, opened Jan. 14, 2026. The plan also seeks to boost internet access, availability of healthcare and opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship.
The first step of the overall initiative was completed in October 2022 with the official opening of the Western Heights Head Start center, which provides comprehensive preschool programs for neighborhood children from infant to age 5 by the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee (CAC).
Information about Transforming Western is available at transformingwestern.com.
About Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation
Since 1936, KCDC has been dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for the citizens of Knoxville. KCDC’s mission is to improve and transform neighborhoods and communities by providing high-quality affordable housing, advancing development initiatives and fostering self-sufficiency. For more information, call 865-403-1100 or visit kcdc.org.
Follow KCDC on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KnoxvilleCDC
X: https://x.com/knoxvillecdc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/knoxville’s-community-development-corporation
