NASHVILLE, Tenn. – State Rep. Bud Hulsey, R-Kingsport, has secured $500,000 in state funding for the city of Kingsport to improve public safety in the downtown and Brickyard areas.
The funds will be used for the construction of a pedestrian bridge connecting Brickyard and Riverview to downtown Kingsport at Centennial Park.
“The planned Brickyard pedestrian bridge will improve safety for residents and visitors and encourage further economic development in Sullivan County,” said Hulsey. “This significant investment will help ensure the project stays on schedule to enhance connectivity in Kingsport. I appreciate the support of my colleagues, specifically Rep. Gary Hicks, in helping secure this important funding for our community.”
The bridge will provide a safer route of travel between the Brickyard and Riverview areas with downtown Kingsport and help link to public transit stops. Several additional improvements are planned in Brickyard, including a private housing development, a bicycle pump track, a skate park, hiking and biking trails, and a planned outdoor event venue and green space.
Kingsport has received two Transportation Alternative Program grants from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) totaling $3.5 million as part of the beginning phase of the project. Design renderings are planned for completion by the fall of 2025 and construction on the bridge is expected to begin in 2027.
The appropriated funds are part of a $59.8 billion balanced budget passed by lawmakers in April and guided in the House by Hulsey, who serves as chairman of the House Appropriations and Oversight Subcommittee. Republican priorities include significant investments to improve academic outcomes, provide disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Helene, enhance public safety for all Tennesseans and increase funding to address transportation infrastructure needs.
State Rep. Bud Hulsey represents District 2 in the Tennessee House of Representatives, which includes part of Sullivan County. He is chairman of the House Appropriations and Oversight Subcommittee and also serves on the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, Finance, Ways and Means Committee and Private Acts Committee.