City of Knoxville takes big step in creating new route to Neyland Stadium

There could be a new way for fans to get to the University of Tennessee's two biggest sports venues without having to mess around with on-campus traffic. The Knoxville City Council approved on Tuesday the hiring of an engineering firm to re-design the existing pedestrian bridge project across the Tennessee River at a lower cost, […]

Craig Smith — College Football & NFL Trending News Writer

Sep 7, 2023 11:42 AM EDT

There could be a new way for fans to get to the University of Tennessee's two biggest sports venues without having to mess around with on-campus traffic.

The Knoxville City Council approved on Tuesday the hiring of an engineering firm to re-design the existing pedestrian bridge project across the Tennessee River at a lower cost, per WBIR channel 10 news.

After being denied a federal grant of $25 million dollars towards the estimated $70 million cost back in June, the council also voted on Tuesday to accept a $20 million grant from the state toward the project.

The bridge would extend from the south side of the Tennessee River and connect at Thompson-Boling Arena. Neyland Stadium sits a mere 0.2 miles from Thompson-Boling Arena, so fans would simply continue on Phillip Fulmer Way for a short walk to the stadium.

The recent vote comes less than four months after the university's announcement of its plans to pursue a public-private partnership for the development of a Neyland Entertainment District along the Tennessee River waterfront near Neyland Stadium. The district plans will reportedly include a hotel and condominiums and could also potentially include increased tailgating space, restaurants, retail, and family-friendly entertainment venues.

With Tennessee facing a rising enrollment and with limited space for parking and housing, the university also needs to find ways to allow for more off-campus housing with access to campus while also addressing the parking shortage the university is dealing with. The pedestrian bridge offers a potential solution to those issues.

The main questions at this point appear to be what the re-design will look like, and what the costs will be with the re-designed project. The city reportedly has the option to return the funding to the state if they are not satisfied with the costs of the project.

If the costs do not significantly increase, then Vol fans could be looking at a new and convenient way to get to what could be a very exciting area surrounding Neyland Stadium in the coming years.