TLM Associates discuss next phase of North Parkway project

JACKSON, Tenn. — TLM Associates meets with community members to discuss the next phase of an expected project.

Jennie Keel, the engineer at TLM Associates, said that the City of Jackson’s North Parkway Phase 3 Tennessee Department of Transportation multimodal access grant application is underway.

The purpose of this grant is to put sidewalks along North Parkway from Wallace Road to the health department.

“It’s a very competitive grant. We apply. Everybody in the state applies. They only typically pick 15 to 20 per year. So we’ve gotten no’s in the past. But we send in all of our sketches, we send in engineering documents to show what we think we’re gonna do. We show budgets for what we think it’s gonna cost and they fund everything and create a contract with the cd based on our grant application,” said Keel.

She says the application phase is about 9-10 months and the design process is usually two to three years before it goes into construction.

“The City of Jackson has already received two multimodal grants. Phase 1 on North Parkway goes from the health department down to Kroger Lynwood. That has already received funding and I expect to see construction in about one year. Phase 2 was just funded around Christmas this past year,” said Keel.

Phase 2 will run from Kroger down to Campbell Street.

“We’re also applying in the fall for a grant for a different pot of money where we’re going to run down north highland from north parkway to skyline on the west side of the road,” said Keel.

She says that she thinks TDOT’s goal of funding is to create an alternate route for people.

“There’s multiple bus stops along these routes. I mean, it’s a priority for the city to be able to provide pedestrian transportation,” said Keel.

Keel states they won’t know if they won the grant until January.

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