Knoxville

Knox County Lines Up Land Buys for Tipton Station Roundabout, Schaad Road Signal and Bakertown Widening

Knox County commissioners reviewed their October agenda Oct. 19 ahead of an Oct. 26 legislative meeting that lists right-of-way and easement acquisitions on nine tracts for a Tipton Station Road roundabout, three tracts for a Johnson Road–Schaad Road signal and four tracts for Bakertown Road widenin

Tracy King

19 Oct 2026 • 6 min read

Knox County’s October agenda lists land and easement purchases for three road projects. Illustrative photo.

Knox County is lining up land and easement purchases for three road projects in South and West Knox County, and the votes are on this month’s County Commission agenda. The October preliminary agenda lists Resolution R-26-10-402, approving temporary construction easements, slope easements and right-of-way acquisitions on nine tracts needed to build a proposed roundabout at Tipton Station Road and Martin Mill Pike.

The same agenda lists right-of-way on three tracts for a traffic signal and turn lanes at Johnson Road and Schaad Road, and easement and right-of-way buys on four more tracts for the Bakertown Road widening and realignment. Commissioners held an optional agenda review on Monday, Oct. 19, at 3:00 p.m. in the Main Assembly Room of the City-County Building. The notice says that session is for discussion only and no votes are taken.

The votes come at the legislative meeting on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. Commissioners have until noon Wednesday, Oct. 21, to post items they want pulled from the consent agenda; anything not posted to the commission forum is considered on consent, according to the preliminary agenda.

The three right-of-way resolutions

Resolution	Project	What the county would acquire
R-26-10-401	Traffic signal and added turn lanes, Johnson Road at Schaad Road	Right-of-way on three tracts
R-26-10-402	Proposed roundabout, Tipton Station Road at Martin Mill Pike	Temporary construction easements, slope easements and right-of-way on nine tracts
R-26-10-403	Bakertown Road Widening and Realignment, phases one and two	Easements and right-of-way from two tracts in phase one and two tracts in phase two
R-26-10-404	Sidewalk along Pleasant Ridge Road to Country Brook Subdivision	Agreement with the City of Knoxville, $161,550.87

Source: Knox County Commission October 2026 preliminary agenda. All four items are sponsored by Engineering and Public Works.

The agenda caption for R-26-10-402 spells the second road “Marin Mill Pike.” The county’s 2025 design scope for the same intersection calls it West Martin Mill Pike.

Tipton Station roundabout: tied to a homebuilder agreement

The roundabout traces back to a development agreement. A Feb. 27, 2025, scope letter to Knox County Engineering and Public Works says the scope of services, as stated in the MOU between Knox County and D.R. Horton, Inc., includes two pieces: “Intersection No. 1,” a left turn lane on Maryville Pike heading south for traffic turning onto Tipton Station, and “Intersection No. 2,” a rural roundabout at Tipton Station Road and West Martin Mill Pike.

That 2025 scope priced right-of-way plan work and a right-of-way phase. The right-of-way phase line items include right-of-way exhibits and legal descriptions with an assumption of 12 tracts. The October resolution lists nine tracts for the roundabout. The scope letter also covers the Maryville Pike turn lane, so the two numbers are not describing the same set of parcels.

For owners along Tipton Station Road and Martin Mill Pike, the October resolution is the step that authorizes the county to buy what the plans need: permanent right-of-way where the road footprint grows, slope easements where grading reaches onto private land, and temporary construction easements that let crews work on a strip of yard during construction.

Bakertown Road: widening and an intersection realignment

Bakertown Road has been moving through the commission for most of the year. WVLT reported in February that Bakertown Road, between Schaad Road and Ball Camp Pike, was slated for improvements and that the county planned to widen the entire corridor. In the same story, Knox County Chief Engineer Jim Snowden described the limits differently, saying the county is widening the corridor “all the way from Ball Road to Ball Camp Pike” with two 10-foot lanes and some sidewalks.

WVLT also reported that the plan includes realigning the Bakertown Road and Ball Camp Pike intersection, which Snowden said causes drivers to get out of position and leads to rear-end crashes, and that a traffic light at Bakertown Road and Schaad Road is part of the plan. Snowden said then that construction could be finished later this year once approved.

R-26-10-403 asks for additional temporary construction easement, slope easement and right-of-way acquisitions from two tracts in the first phase, plus temporary construction easement and right-of-way acquisitions from two tracts in the second phase.

The Schaad Road corridor is changing on the city side, too. For the plan to split the municipal golf course property for a multisport complex, see Knoxville City Council Clears First Vote to Split Schaad Road Golf Course for a Multisport Complex.

Other October items for property owners

The agenda also lists, as an item to be added, the closure of portions of excess West Gallaher Ferry Road right-of-way north of Hickory Creek Road and south of Juniper Brush Road, which the agenda says are the result of the recent road relocation in Commission District 6. Neighbors along the old alignment should ask Engineering and Public Works what the closure means for their frontage.

Pleasant Ridge Road gets a sidewalk agreement with the City of Knoxville in the amount of $161,550.87 under R-26-10-404, running to the Country Brook Subdivision.

Knox County dates to watch

Feb. 27, 2025 — Date on the Tipton Station roundabout and Maryville Pike turn-lane scope letter.
Oct. 19, 2026, 3:00 p.m. — Optional agenda review, Main Assembly Room, City-County Building, 400 Main Street. No votes.
Oct. 21, 2026, noon — Deadline for commissioners to post items they want pulled from consent.
Oct. 26, 2026, 5:00 p.m. — Legislative meeting where the right-of-way resolutions are scheduled.

If your property is on one of these roads

Know the difference between easement types. A temporary construction easement ends when the project does. Right-of-way is a permanent transfer. A slope easement allows grading on your side of the line.
Get the plan sheet for your parcel. Engineering and Public Works sponsors these items; the right-of-way plans show exactly which strip is involved.
Selling during acquisition? Disclose any offer letter or appraisal contact from the county. A buyer’s lender and title company will want to know whether part of the lot is being conveyed.
Do not assume a road project cuts value. A signal, sidewalk or turn lane can make a property easier to get in and out of. Price to current comparable sales.

Knox County growth questions are moving on several fronts this fall, from the paused zoning overhaul (Knox County Pauses Its Zoning Overhaul — What Rural Landowners and Home Buyers Should Do Now) to rural rezonings headed for November (Three Knox County A-to-RA Rezonings Move Toward Nov. 9: Overton Lane and Morris Road Backed, Fox Road Flagged for Flooding).

Own a home near Tipton Station Road, Schaad Road or Bakertown Road and want to know what it would bring today? Start with a free home valuation, or request a cash offer if you would rather sell before construction starts.

What road land purchases are on Knox County’s October agenda?

Resolutions R-26-10-401, R-26-10-402 and R-26-10-403 cover right-of-way and easement acquisitions for a Johnson Road–Schaad Road signal, a Tipton Station Road roundabout and the Bakertown Road widening and realignment.

How many tracts does the Tipton Station roundabout need?

R-26-10-402 lists temporary construction easements, slope easements and right-of-way acquisitions on nine tracts for the proposed roundabout at Tipton Station Road and Martin Mill Pike.

Why is a homebuilder connected to the roundabout?

A Feb. 27, 2025, scope letter says the work is stated in an MOU between Knox County and D.R. Horton, Inc., covering a Maryville Pike left-turn lane and a rural roundabout at Tipton Station Road and West Martin Mill Pike.

When will Knox County commissioners vote?

The preliminary agenda points to the legislative meeting on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. The Oct. 19 agenda review was for discussion only, with no votes taken.

What are the Bakertown Road limits?

WVLT reported the improvements run between Schaad Road and Ball Camp Pike, while Chief Engineer Jim Snowden was quoted saying the widening runs from Ball Road to Ball Camp Pike.