TDOT Commissioner Makes Statement on the James White Parkway Extension Project

Statement from TDOT Commissioner John Schroer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. –Today’s action by the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) effectively stops work on the James White Parkway Extension Project.  Until today, TDOT continued work on the project because it was included in the Knoxville TPO’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).  The project was developed in part to address safety and congestion issues along Chapman Highway.  We remain concerned that our efforts to improve conditions along Chapman Highway will not be sufficient now, and particularly in the future.

TDOT will not build projects that aren’t supported by communities and our local partners.  Today, we received a clear statement by the current members of the Knoxville TPO that they do not wish to see the project progress.  We will no longer commit any further resources to this project.

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