Sevierville

Sevierville Seeks $500,000 Federal Grant to Study Flood Elevations and Approves New Signal Design at Veterans Boulevard and Middle Creek Road

Sevierville aldermen on Oct. 19 approved grant applications estimated at $775,000, led by a $500,000 U.S. DOT PROTECT planning grant to study ways to keep base flood elevations from rising, plus a $46,500 design contract for a new signal at Veterans Boulevard and Middle Creek Road North.

Tracy King

21 Oct 2026 • 5 min read

Sevierville is applying for a federal grant to study how to keep flood elevations from rising along its rivers and roads. Illustrative photo.

Sevierville will ask the federal government for $500,000 to study how to keep the city’s flood levels from climbing. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved the application Monday, Oct. 19, as part of a package of grant requests the city estimates at $775,000.

The money would come from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s PROTECT program, short for Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation. City staff told the board no local match is required.

The same meeting moved a long-awaited traffic fix forward. Aldermen approved a $46,500 task order with Cannon & Cannon to design a new traffic signal at the eastern intersection of Veterans Boulevard and Middle Creek Road North and to upgrade the existing signal at the western intersection.

What the flood study would look at

The city’s board memo calls the PROTECT request a planning grant, not a construction grant. Its stated purpose is to study and identify minimally invasive ways to preserve base flood elevations at their current levels. The memo lists four goals: prevent loss of life and property, keep economic activity and tourism revenue flowing, and protect historic structures, public infrastructure and evacuation routes in a natural disaster.

Sevierville Grant Specialist Holly Jones described it to the board as a study of the rivers and transportation networks in Sevierville, The Mountain Press reported. She said that if the city wins the award, the grant works as a reimbursement.

Why base flood elevation matters to owners

Base flood elevation is the height floodwater is expected to reach in the 1%-annual-chance flood shown on FEMA maps. It drives where you can build, how high a new floor has to sit, and, for many owners, what flood insurance costs. A study aimed at holding those elevations where they are is a study aimed at keeping more property from being pulled into stricter rules.

The study is not a promise of projects. The memo describes identifying options. Any construction would need its own funding and approvals.

The full grant package

Department	Grant	Amount	Local match
Public Works	USDOT PROTECT planning grant	$500,000	None required
Police	Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 26 Rural Violent Crime Reduction Program	Up to $250,000	None required
Police	Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest grant (DOJ)	About $25,000	Reimburses 50% of vest cost
City (separate motion)	Public Entity Partners grant	$5,000	Reimburses budgeted costs

Source: City of Sevierville Board of Mayor and Aldermen packet, Oct. 19, 2026; The Mountain Press, Oct. 20, 2026.

The police grants are routine. The vest grant is a yearly reimbursement, and the rural violent crime grant would expand the department’s forensic and technological capabilities. The $5,000 Public Entity Partners grant reimburses budgeted costs for employee motor vehicle records checks, according to The Mountain Press.

A new signal for Veterans Boulevard and Middle Creek Road North

Veterans Boulevard meets Middle Creek Road North at two points. The eastern intersection now runs as a side-street stop. The western intersection, about 450 feet north, already has a signal.

Under the task order, Cannon & Cannon will design a new signal at the eastern intersection and mast arm and technology upgrades at the western one. The scope includes traffic data collection, construction plans for city and Tennessee Department of Transportation review, final plans, cost estimating, and signal timing and coordination. The firm will also look at whether operations on nearby Sunrise Circle can be improved as part of the job.

The design fee is $46,500, billed as a lump sum. The memo says the work is included in the current capital budget. Construction is a separate step. The proposal does not include construction engineering, bidding documents or right-of-way design.

If you live off Veterans Boulevard or Middle Creek Road North, a signal at that stop-controlled leg is the kind of change that can shift how a neighborhood feels to live in. Ask your agent to note any planned signal or turn-lane work when you price a home nearby.

Other votes on Oct. 19

The Mountain Press reported that the board also approved these items:

Second reading of a rezoning of part of 1250 Middle Creek Road from Medium Density Residential to Arterial Commercial.
Second reading of an amendment allowing Religious Assembly and Special Assembly Venue as permitted uses in the Arterial Commercial district.
Second reading of an update to the Flood Prevention Ordinance that keeps the city in the National Flood Insurance Program.
A plan of services, annexation and Intermediate Commercial zoning for property at 1505 Douglas Dam Road.
The $282,500 OHM Advisors design agreement for the SR 416 turn lanes, covered in Sevierville Weighs $282,500 Design Deal for SR 416 Turn Lanes at Four Pittman Center Road Intersections.

The New Era Road annexation and Medium Density Residential zoning were also on the agenda for second reading.

Eagle’s Nest driving range update

Director of Golf Bob Parker gave the board an update on the new covered driving range at the Sevierville Golf Course, which opened in August. He said the project ran $48,801.99 over budget because of higher construction costs and an added food and beverage station, and that golf course revenue in the first two months doubled from a year earlier. The city’s packet lists a $46,500 golf course marketing budget for fiscal 2027.

Sevierville dates to watch

Oct. 19, 2026 — Board of Mayor and Aldermen approves grant applications and signal design task order.
Oct. 20, 2026 — The Mountain Press reports the votes.
Next step — PROTECT award decision from USDOT; signal plans go to the city and TDOT for review.

What it means for Sevierville homeowners

Flood status is a value question. If your property sits near a creek or river, know your flood zone and base flood elevation before you list. Buyers and lenders will ask.
Studies come before projects. A planning grant can take years to turn into work on the ground. Price on today’s conditions, not on a hoped-for fix.
Traffic changes cut both ways. A new signal can make a left turn easier and a commute steadier. It can also bring more traffic to a once-quiet corner.

For background on the county’s recent flood rules, see Sevier County Commission Set to Vote Oct. 19 on Flood Rules Tied to New FEMA Map Panels.

Thinking about selling in Sevierville or the Smokies? Get a free home valuation to see where your price stands, or request a cash offer if you want a firm number on your timeline.

What is the Sevierville PROTECT grant?

It is a $500,000 U.S. Department of Transportation PROTECT planning grant application, approved by aldermen Oct. 19, to study minimally invasive ways to preserve base flood elevations at current levels. No local match is required.

Does the grant pay for flood construction projects?

No. The city describes it as a planning grant to study and identify options. Any projects would need separate funding and approval.

What grants did Sevierville approve on Oct. 19?

Applications estimated at $775,000: the $500,000 PROTECT grant, up to $250,000 from the Rural Violent Crime Reduction Program, about $25,000 for bulletproof vests, and a separate $5,000 Public Entity Partners grant.

What is planned at Veterans Boulevard and Middle Creek Road North?

A new traffic signal at the eastern intersection, which is now stop-controlled, and mast arm and technology upgrades to the existing signal at the western intersection about 450 feet north.

How much is the signal design contract?

The task order with Cannon & Cannon is $46,500, billed as a lump sum and included in the current capital budget. Construction is not part of this contract.