Murphy Road: An Attractive Gateway into Northeast Knox County

Neighborhood commercial services at Washington Pike should connect by sidewalk to existing and future residential areas.

Road improvements include extension of Murphy Road to Mill Road, near Millertown Pike. This is proposed as a four-lane, divided highway with a raised median, sidewalks and signalized intersections to be located at Babelay Drive and Edmondson Lane. Aesthetic issues should be carefully considered, including landscaping along with the road improvements.

Portions of this low-lying area are flood prone and best suited for recreational uses.

A low to medium density land use transition area will need to develop between the high intensity areas surrounding Knoxville Center Mall and existing large lot, single family homes near the extended portion of Murphy Road. Preserving the floodplain protection area around Loves Creek headwaters will limit future flooding in the area. These low-lying areas should be acquired by the county and used for recreational purposes. Acquiring easements for greenway connections and future community amenities should be done in coordination with right-of-way purchases for the road improvements.

The development opportunity illustrated in Figure 5 shows the general location of Murphy Road as it is proposed to be extended through the Babelay farm.

The parkland (in blue) is surrounded by a mix of housing types, with walking trail connections to the village center and to future greenways that are proposed along Loves Creek to the south, McAnnally Ridge to the east and Sharps Ridge to the west. As the area grows, additional public facilities, such as a fire department, may be needed, and could be located in the Village Center or a centrally located intersection such as Babelay Drive and the extended Murphy Road.