1999 Grant Recipient Information
Tennessee

The Land Use and Transportation Plan
Johnson City, Tennessee

Abstract

Through the TCSP, the City of Johnson City and its partners will develop an innovative program integrating land use planning with transportation planning. Specific land use alternatives will be developed and incorporated as formal code changes into a revised land use plan. The revised land use plan will create opportunities for intensified mixed-use development to occur in neighborhood nodes.

Formal code changes ultimately will lead to alternative land development patterns in regard to location, mix, and organization of uses. As development occurs within the neighborhood nodes, access for pedestrians, bicycles, and transit will increase while the percentage of vehicles miles traveled will decline. Current regulations effectively limit bicycle, pedestrian, and transit access by mandating the separation of uses. The performance and efficiency of the transportation system for Johnson City will be enhanced through the development of the Land Use and Transportation Plan.

Anticipated short term results include formal code language to be adopted as part of a revised land use plan. The revised plan will immediately serve as a guide for new development. Future updates to the Johnson City MPO 20 Year Plan will be able to follow the guidelines set forth in the plan. At the completion of the project the plan containing the formal code language will be available as a resource for the FHWA and other agencies. The long term benefits will start to be realized as each new development is constructed in a neighborhood node. As new developments occur within neighborhood nodes, opportunities for access by bicycles, pedestrians, and transit increase. The long term benefits of the neighborhood nodes will include reduced dependency on the automobile for short trips, and thereby reduced vehicle miles.

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