Governor Bredesen Announces Enhancement Grant for Morristown

Enhancement Grant for Laura Yard Hill Trailhead & Greenway Connector:
 Left to right, TDOT Commissioner Gerald F. Nicely, Sen. Steve Southerland, Rep. John Litz, Gov. Phil Bredesen

Nashville, Tenn. – Governor Phil Bredesen announced today that the state will provide the city of Morristown in Hamblen County with an enhancement grant in the amount of $600,000 to assist with the Morristown College Trailhead and Greenway project.

The project will save a historically significant structure on the Morristown College campus, the Laura Yard Hill Administration Building.

“Restoration and reuse of the Morristown College Campus is a key element to the success of the downtown Morristown revitalization efforts,” said Governor Bredesen. “I’m proud the State of Tennessee can make investments like this one to contribute to the long range plan that will enhance the local community for the benefit of citizens and visitors alike.”

The project includes two primary elements, one being a major trailhead facility located within a portion of the Laura Yard Hill Administration Building and on the Morristown College Campus. The second element is the greenway necessary to link this major trailhead with the Morristown Greenway System.

“This project is a key element of Morristown’s Greenway Master Plan,” said Representative John Litz. “I have long envisioned a transportation system that will accommodate the needs and wants of a wide range of users.”

The grant is made possible through a federally funded program administered by the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

“Including this year’s enhancement grants, TDOT has helped fund approximately $189 million worth of transportation related projects such as the restoration of historic facilities, bike and pedestrian trails, landscaping and other non-traditional transportation projects,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “These grants were made possible in the 1990s when Congress established a grant system funding activities designed to strengthen the cultural, aesthetic and environmental aspects of the nation’s transportation system.”

Senator Steve Southerland also represents Hamblen County in the Tennessee General Assembly.