NASHVILLE - Proposed state projects ranging from $3.5 million for campus improvements at UTC to a new $1.36 million bathhouse for Harrison Bay State Park won preliminary approval last week from the the State Building Commission.
Holding their first meeting since Tennessee's 2016 budget took effect July 1, commission members approved these and dozens of other projects statewide totaling more than $200 million.
Most approvals covered the scope of a project, identifying sources of funding and allowing officials to start selecting designers.
The project at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga includes new pedestrian walking surfaces, lighting, retaining walls, site furniture, trees and a vehicle turnaround. The goal is improving pedestrian safety for areas including McCallie Avenue, Oak Street and Vine Street.
David Benton, who oversees capital projects for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said Harrison Bay and four other state parks are splitting $5.1 million for new bathhouses. Tims Ford State Park near Winchester is getting $680,000.
"These are replacing outdated ones," Benton said.
UTC students cross McCallie Avenue headed toward the UTC Place apartments in this file photo.Another item given the nod was $450,000 for wooden bridges in the 300-mile-long Cumberland Trail State Park. The 11-county linear hiking park, which runs from north to south, includes Hamilton County.
The money comes atop a similar amount previously approved and now totals $900,000.
"There's five [bridges] with the $450,000 amount," Benton said. "There are also grant funds that we can [use to] do some work." Most of the bridges would be "under-the-deck" cable bridges, he said.
Member of the Building Commission also:
' Gave the go-ahead to Chattanooga State to begin planning an $800,000 project adding lighting, improving drainage and paving graveled parking areas.
' Cleveland State won approval of $400,000 to upgrade electrical infrastructure.
' Ok'd $1.8 million for a sewage treatment upgrade at Fall Creek Falls State Park in Van Buren County. The project includes repairing the existing sewage collection and treatment system to fix leaks and improve treatment capacity.
' Fall Creek Falls and three other parks also will split $1.95 million to repair dams.
All the projects were included in Gov. Bill Haslam's 2015-2016 budget.
Contact staff writer Andy Sher at 615-255-0550 or asher@timesfreepress.com.