Knox County Prepares for Additional Improvements to S. Northshore Drive

Knox County Engineering and Public Works expects to begin work late this summer on major improvements to S. Northshore Drive between The Cove at Concord Park and Choto Road.

The modernization efforts, which should wrap up in the summer of 2025, comes after years of work to improve an adjacent portion of the busy corridor. The work will require occasional one-lane traffic, but crews will attempt to limit the lane reductions to non-busy travel times.

“Over the last few years, we added a turn lane into entrance of The Cove at Concord Park. The county built a section of greenway to a new trailhead that was constructed at Callaway Ridge so folks can park and ride their bicycles,” said Jim Snowden, senior director of Knox County Engineering and Public Works.

Snowden said he is especially proud of the boardwalk built beneath two bridges to allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross Northshore Drive safely.

“Mayor Glenn Jacobs, Commissioner Larsen Jay, Commissioner John Schoonmaker, and the entirety of the Knox County Commission gave us the funds to eliminate that dangerous at-grade crossing. It’s safer for vehicles as well as pedestrians,” said Snowden.

Knox County Commission recently approved right-of-way acquisition for crews to continue modernizing Northshore Drive from The Cove to the roundabout at Choto Drive.

“We want to make the lanes wider, the shoulders wider, and the side slopes safer. We’re going to update guardrails to current safety standards,” said Snowden.

Snowden said the project will also improve pedestrian safety.

“The greenway currently stops here at The Cove at Concord Park. We do want to extend that greenway down to the pedestrian facilities that exist at Choto Road. We hope to really improve the safety of this section of Northshore Drive,” Snowden said.

This YouTube video shows more on the recent Northshore Drive improvements and upcoming construction.