CIP keeps focus on infrastructure
The Town of Farragut is looking at six-year Capital Investment Program projects coming up from 2027 through 2032, which include parks, roads and stormwater improvements.
An update on the Town’s CIP budget highlighted Farragut Board of Mayor and Alderman’s next budget workshop, which took place before the Board’s regular workshop Thursday, Feb. 26.
“The way we budget for this is the actual monies in the budget for [Fiscal Year] ’27 are what plan for,” Town administrator David Smoak said. “It’s what we put in the budget.
“All future years out are what we plan, and we estimate very conservatively on how much we think we’re going to get in revenues and expenditures,” he said. “But those can change from year to year, and they will change from year to year.
“The main thing of our long-term strategy is to keep our CIP in the black,” Smoak said.
Among the general government projects, the Board can expect projects costing $450,000.
In Parks and Recreation, Smoak said for FY 2027, “We are estimating about $1.9 million in projects to be completed or started and completed for a total six-year CIP of around $7 million.”
Among the parks projects, the Board is looking at $65,000 to replace fencing in Anchor Park in 2027, and $106,000 to renovate Mayor Bob Leonard Park’s baseball diamonds in 2027, as well as $80,000 in 2028 and 2029; and $32,000 in 2030 and $200,000 in 2031.
Additionally, the Town will start Phase 5 of the dog park at McFee Park. Cost of construction is $400,000, but there is a state grant of $200,000 for the project.
Another project being scheduled in 2027 is the McFee Road park property, for which $400,000 has been budgeted. Another $1,625,000 is budgeted for 2028 and $350,000 in 2029 for the project.
In 2028, the Town is looking to replace Anchor Park’s playground with ADA accessible equipment at an anticipated cost of $425,000. There also is a planned MBLP east and west ball diamond fencing project anticipated to cost $70,000 in 2028.
However, “our largest portion, by far, is our transportation and infrastructure projects,” he said. “Those are everything, when it comes to roads, stormwater, sidewalks, greenways, you name it,” Smoak added. “We’ve got quite a few projects in FY 27; and frankly, we’ve got quite a few projects carrying forward from FY ’26.
In 2027, the Board is looking to add another Sugarwood Drive access to Kingston Pike, expected to cost $1.8 million; work on traffic monitoring cameras, $119,000; Turkey Creek Road multi-modal improvements with a $500,000 cost in 2027 and $2.2 million cost in 2028; and the Watt Road Roundabout project, $970,000.
In July 2024, Knoxville attorney John Neal filed a complaint in Knox County Chancery Court concerning the Town’s budgeted plans for Turkey Creek greenway/road improvements. Plaintiffs were Shirley Harkins, David Galbraith and Howard and Bobbie Tipton. The case is still pending.
The Virtue Road Phase III multi-modal improvement project (from Brookmere to Boyd Station is scheduled to cost $8,246,513 in 2028.
Additionally, Smoak said he expects there will be a
$300,000 cost in 2027 for land acquisition.
Also, the Board is scheduling a Boring Road closure of the Kingston Pike access in 2027, expected to cost $50,000. At Boring and Smith roads, the Town is planning improvements with an anticipated cost of $75,000 in 2027.
The Board also is looking at an Evans Road multi-modal improvement project, starting in 2029 to cost $820,000 for design and engineering. Construction is planned for 2031 with a cost of $2.5 million that year.
