The Knoxville City Council approved preliminary plans for the street improvement project at their meeting Monday night.

The council approved the preliminary plans, specifications, form of contract, and estimate of cost for the project. The city is receiving funding for the street improvements through a Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) for $869,000 and bonds to cover the rest of the cost. The total cost for the project is $3.2 million. The project will involve Main Street from 3rd St. to 5th St., and on Robinson Street from S 3rd St. to S 7th St. Knoxville City Manager Heather Ussery says it will be a lengthy project that won’t be completed until 2025.

“That will be a complete tear out, replacement of all infrastructure underneath, and the streetscape design in those areas. It will be a substantially long project. It is DOT regulated and they have stated that it will be 160 working days, so that will go through the 2024 construction year as well as Robinson Street will probably be completed in early 2025.”

Ussery says the city plans to approve the contract for this project at the city council meeting on February 5th.