The Tennessee Chapter of the American Planning Association (TAPA) recently recognized two KCI projects with awards.
The I-40 Alternative Fuel Corridor Deployment Plan was honored with an Outstanding Project/Program/Tool for a Large Jurisdiction Award and the Walden Land Use Plan project won the Outstanding Plan for a Small Municipality Award. The honors were given to KCI during the TAPA Fall Conference in Knoxville and Liesel Goethert, AICP, was present to accept the awards on the project team’s behalf.
I-40 ALTERNATIVE FUEL CORRIDOR DEPLOYMENT PLAN
In order to prepare for an increase in vehicles that run on alternative fuel sources, the Tennessee Department of Transportation conducted a year-long analysis of electric vehicle station equipment and compressed natural gas refueling infrastructure along I-40, one of the country’s most important interstates. To ensure the highway has adequate charging and fueling capability, KCI was contracted to lead a multi-state effort in developing and expediting an alternative fuel study. The study and deployment plan inventoried existing alternative fuel stations along I-40, identified gaps and potential locations for future refueling sites, outlined best practice implementation strategies, and documented potential funding sources to assist with implementation, allowing additional state agencies to use the plan as a basis to implement alternative vehicle fueling and charging facilities along interstates across the nation.
WALDEN LAND USE PLAN
The Town of Walden was seeking to update their land use plan to ensure that new commercial and mixed-use development aligned with the community’s vision, which was originally outlined by a rigorous public engagement process in the late 1990s. KCI assisted with coordinating open houses, surveys, focus group interviews, and open design studios to reaffirm the original goal of preserving and enhancing the rural ridgetop character of Walden. Updates to the Town’s land use map and the corresponding zoning code were recommended to focus on quality and environmentally friendly development in the village center. In addition, KCI identified critical pedestrian and bicycle connections given the high activity level of residents and the number of natural features, parks, and community destinations that make Walden an attractive place to live in the Chattanooga region.
