Work crews are already moving along an old railroad corridor in South Knoxville as a multi‑mile rail‑to‑trail project inches ahead, but the people whose backyards hug the tracks say the whole thing is happening too fast. Neighbors along the line told reporters they worry that more foot traffic, late‑night noise, and a hit to their privacy could change how they use their own property. Supporters counter that the SoKno trail is designed to connect local businesses to Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness, even as a federal lawsuit from nearby landowners hangs over the project.
What’s planned
The conversion, led by the Legacy Parks Foundation, would turn about 3.8 miles of the former Knoxville & Holston River line into a soft‑surface, multi‑use trail. Plans include a 1.5‑mile art walk between Kern’s Food Hall and Ijams Nature Center, two trailheads near Kern’s and Island Home Park, and a route meant to serve both commuters and weekend walkers. Design work is still in progress, and fundraising is ongoing, and backers say the trail is intended to pull South Knoxville more tightly into the city’s Urban Wilderness network.
Neighbors raise privacy concerns
Homeowners who live along the rail corridor told WBIR they are uneasy about strangers suddenly streaming behind their fences, especially late at night. More people on the path, they said, could mean more noise and more parking headaches on nearby streets. Hugh Williams, who told WBIR he has lived along the rail line for 41 years, said he is worried about “how the space could be used” once the trail opens and how that might affect both privacy and everyday use of his property. Several neighbors also flagged the possibility of unintended uses of the right‑of‑way that they fear could change the character of the area.
The legal fight
Some landowners took their objections to the federal court last year. The rails‑to‑trails lawsuit, Donald Roach, et al. v. United States (Case No. 25‑576), was filed in April 2025, according to the law firm Stewart, Wald & Smith. The firm says the plaintiffs are seeking compensation under the National Trails System Act for property rights they contend were affected. It also notes that the case is moving forward even as a potential settlement remains on the table. The administrative steps that began when the railroad asked to abandon the line are detailed in the Surface Transportation Board docket and a related notice in the Federal Register, which together lay out the federal process for possible railbanking on the corridor.
Where the project stands now
On the city side, Knoxville officials have pushed early paperwork and agreements into place. City Council approved an authorization for the mayor to enter a trail‑use agreement with the short‑line railroad, and the city’s public works department would oversee construction, according to the City of Knoxville. The agreement outlines how the railroad would pull up track and ties to ready the corridor for a new path and gives the city a formal role in managing the build. Council documents and project materials indicate that actual construction timing still depends on design approvals and continued fundraising.
Supporters point to business and tourism gains
Advocates and some nearby business owners argue that a continuous trail could make it far easier to walk between patios, restaurants, and Kern’s Food Hall, potentially boosting foot traffic along Chapman Highway. Project descriptions and local coverage note that the SoKno Art Walk is supposed to draw visitors and layer cultural attractions into the Urban Wilderness corridor, a mix that supporters say could give small businesses a lift. They also point to the planned link into Ijams as a way to expand low‑impact tourism and help nurture new neighborhood‑scale ventures, according to Tennessee Town & City.
What’s next
For now, the corridor is both an active construction zone and a courtroom dispute. Crews have been clearing rail and preparing the right‑of‑way even as the federal lawsuit moves ahead, which leaves the project timeline anything but certain. Project pages and city records show that design work and fundraising are still in motion, and Legacy Parks has not offered an updated public comment on the schedule, WBIR reported. Ultimately, the pace and shape of the trail will be dictated by court filings, the Surface Transportation Board docket, and local permitting decisions, which will decide whether the SoKno trail opens on the hoped‑for timetable or gets reshaped by settlements and litigation.
