Residents of Knoxville neighborhoods will have a new streamlined process for requesting traffic safety measures beginning in 2026.

Applications for the Neighborhood Traffic Safety Program (NTSP) open Jan. 1, 2026, with an updated and simplified process developed with input from multiple departments. Transportation Engineering, the Office of Neighborhood Empowerment, Public Service, Knoxville Fire Department, Knoxville Police Department and Knoxville Area Transit all participated in reviewing and revising the process.

“Neighbors have told us they want safer streets, and many have successfully participated in the program and slowed drivers on their streets,” says Vision Zero Coordinator Cody Gentry, who has worked with neighbors on traffic safety programs for many of his 18-plus years with the City. “Having learned a lot over the years, we’re ready to implement this new process to help neighbors make their streets safer.”

New in 2026:

• Applications will be accepted online during January, rather than throughout the year. 

• Only residential streets will be considered, no classified or dead-end streets.

• One neighborhood meeting – not two – will be required.

• Neighbors will vote for or against the measures via online ballot, not paper.

• Construction will take 15-20 months.

Neighborhoods that have already applied and been approved will continue the process without any changes. Currently, 10 neighborhood traffic safety projects are in the queue for construction by the end of 2026.

Speed humps are the primary traffic calming device installed through this program.

After the application period closes Jan. 31, transportation engineers will conduct speed studies and rank the applications by prioritization. Meetings with neighbors would happen in the summer, followed by finalizing designs to address the safety issues.

Under the new process, neighbors will vote on the proposed plan in September and October; 50 percent plus 1 of the vote is still required. Those approved plans will be folded into the City’s Annual Resurfacing Program for 2027 to be voted on by City Council and completed between March and November 2027.

Applications for the Neighborhood Traffic Safety Program will be posted at KnoxvilleTN.gov/TrafficSafety by Jan. 1, 2026.