WINCHESTER, TN – The City of Winchester has been awarded a $1.125 million state grant to fund major sidewalk improvements along North High Street, marking a significant step forward in the city’s long-term pedestrian and infrastructure plans.
The funding announcement was recently made by Bill Lee and Will Reid, confirming Winchester as one of four communities statewide selected to receive a Tennessee Department of Transportation Multimodal Access Grant.
The project will upgrade sidewalks along North High Street, also known as State Route 130, from First Avenue Northwest to Fifth Avenue Northwest. Under the grant structure, the state will cover 95 percent of the project cost, totaling approximately $1.068 million, while the City of Winchester will contribute the remaining five percent, or $56,000.
Winchester Mayor Sean Crabtree said the grant represents a major improvement for one of the city’s most traveled corridors. He noted the project will remove sidewalk obstructions such as utility poles and help create a safer, more walkable street. Crabtree added that the long-term goal is to make North High Street fully pedestrian-friendly from Tims Ford Lake to the Winchester Square.
The Multimodal Access Grant program is designed to support pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users by addressing infrastructure gaps along state routes. TDOT officials said multimodal facilities are increasingly important, especially as nearly half of all trips in the United States are three miles or less.
City officials credited several partners for their role in securing the funding, including Janice Bowling, Iris Rudder, Lisa Cross of the South Central Tennessee Development District, and Yvonne Stewart, the city’s project manager.
The sidewalk project is part of Winchester’s broader effort to address long-term street and sidewalk needs through strategic planning, including Americans with Disabilities Act compliance and prioritization of infrastructure improvements.
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