New Kingsport Bridge will connect Brickyard Park to downtown

The City of Kingsport is getting a major boost to help connect Brickyard Park to downtown. Federal officials have awarded the city 5.6 million dollars to build a new pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the CSX railroad tracks. The bridge will link Brickyard Park directly to Centennial Park downtown. Local transportation officials say the project will give walkers and cyclists a much safer way to cross the tracks, while hopefully bringing more foot traffic to downtown shops and restaurants. As part of the deal with CSX, the existing street-level vehicle crossing will be permanently closed once the bridge is built. Kingsport will pitch in 1.4 million dollars to match the federal grant, adding to 2.6 million already secured from the state. Design work is finished, and construction is expected to kick off in 2027.