State Route 72 Corridor Study

Professional Consulting Services
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)

City of Loudon, Tennessee

To address safety, mobility, and economic development needs, the City of Loudon is conducting a comprehensive State Route 72 Corridor Study. The study will evaluate current conditions, involve the public, and propose a phased program of strategic improvements aimed at balancing growth with community character. As Loudon continues to grow, new demands are being placed on the City's transportation network – especially along State Route 72. This crucial corridor supports commuters, freight movement, and industrial access, serving as a gateway into the community from Interstate 75.

I. Introduction

The City of Loudon is requesting Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) from experienced consulting firms to provide planning and engineering services for a comprehensive Corridor Study of State Route 72 (SR-72). The purpose of the study is to assess current and future conditions, identify safety and operational needs, and develop a phased improvement plan to enhance mobility, economic growth, and community character.

II. Project Overview

The State Route 72 Corridor Study will evaluate approximately 13 miles of SR-72 within and immediately adjacent to the City of Loudon corporate limits, extending from Vonore Road on the east to Prospect Church Road on the west (at its intersection nearest Matlock Bend Road and the Loudon County Landfill). As depicted in the attached Figure: Corridor Study Area, this segment includes the corridor's interchange with Interstate 75, its intersection with U.S. Highway 11, and is the principal commercial, industrial, and residential frontage that defines SR-72's role as Loudon's primary gateway and east-west arterial.
The corridor serves as a vital regional link for commuters, freight, and local traffic, while also acting as an entry point into the city. The study will assess existing conditions, identify safety and operational needs, evaluate multimodal opportunities, and develop a phased program of recommended improvements that balance growth with community character. The City may, at its discretion, adjust the study limits during scoping based on Consultant recommendations, available funding, and coordination with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization (TPO).

The Consultant's work will be organized around the following nine tasks, described in detail in Section III:

1. Project Management & Interagency Coordination
2. Existing Conditions & Base Mapping
3. Traffic, Safety & Operations Analysis
4. Multimodal & Context-Sensitive Assessment
5. Environmental Red-Flag Review & Subsurface Utility Engineering
6. Public & Stakeholder Engagement
7. Alternatives, Conceptual Design & Recommendations
8. Fiscal Analysis & Implementation
9. Final Plan & Deliverables

For planning purposes, the Consultant shall use the most recent full year of available data as the existing-conditions baseline, a 5-year short-term horizon, and a 25-year long-term horizon. Use of Knoxville Regional TPO travel demand model outputs is required where applicable; specific methodology for traffic projections shall be proposed by the Consultant.

III. Scope of Services

The following describes the anticipated scope of services (Deliverables in the full scope on the website). Consultants are encouraged to propose refinements or additions consistent with the City's goals. The City will establish the final scope at their discretion.

Task 1 — Project Management & Interagency Coordination

The Consultant shall manage the project, maintain the schedule and budget, and coordinate with the City of Loudon Engineering and Planning Department (which will serve as project lead). The Consultant shall convene an Interagency Coordination with City staff, TDOT, the Knoxville Regional TPO, and Loudon County representatives, and shall brief the group at project milestones. A formal steering committee is not anticipated.

The Consultant shall:

• Conduct a project kickoff meeting with the City to confirm scope, schedule, deliverables, data needs, and communication protocols
• Prepare and submit monthly written progress reports
• At a minimum, convene the Interagency Coordination group at project initiation, completion of existing conditions analysis, presentation of draft alternatives, and presentation of draft recommendations
• Maintain ongoing coordination with TDOT and the Knoxville Regional TPO for the duration of the study

Task 1 — Deliverables:

Kickoff meeting agenda and summary; refined work plan and schedule; monthly progress reports; Interagency Coordination meeting agendas and summaries.

Task 2 — Existing Conditions & Base Mapping

The Consultant shall develop a corridor base map and document existing conditions affecting transportation planning along SR-72, including:

• Base map prepared in GIS, showing the corridor, intersections, parcels, right-of-way, and major attractions and destinations
• Parcel and right-of-way inventory, identifying public and private ownership and ROW constraints
• Existing and planned land use, with particular attention to the City's C-2 Interchange Commercial Zoning District and other corridor zoning classifications
• Review of prior plans and policies relevant to the corridor, including the City's Major Thoroughfare Plan, regional transportation plans, and applicable TDOT and TPO documents
• Population, employment, and development trend data sufficient to support the existing- and future-conditions analyses in Task 3

Task 3 — Traffic, Safety & Operations Analysis

The Consultant shall evaluate existing and future traffic operations and safety along the corridor. This task shall include:

• Traffic data collection — turning movement counts at key intersections (number to be confirmed during scoping) during AM and PM peak periods, supplemented by available TDOT count data and recent traffic study data
• Operations analysis — Level of Service (LOS), delay, and queue analysis at key intersections for existing, 5-year, and 25-year horizon conditions
• Crash analysis — review of TDOT crash data for the most recent five years, identification of patterns and high-risk locations, and recommended countermeasures
• Access management review — assessment of driveway and median-opening spacing, conflict points, and conformance with applicable TDOT and local guidelines
• Freight and industrial access assessment — evaluation of corridor performance for freight movement and access to adjacent industrial parks and employment centers
• Future traffic projections — using Knoxville Regional TPO travel demand model outputs where applicable

Task 4 — Multimodal & Context-Sensitive Assessment

The Consultant shall evaluate non-vehicular conditions and opportunities along the corridor, including:

• Inventory of existing sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, bicycle facilities, and transit stops (if any)
• Identification of gaps, barriers, and high-priority connections, including desire-line analysis informed by public input
• Evaluation of opportunities for sidewalks, bike lanes, shared-use paths, crossings, and transit accommodation consistent with the corridor's context
• Consideration of context-sensitive design approaches that reflect the corridor's role as a community gateway and respond to differences in character along its length (industrial, commercial, residential, gateway)

Task 5 — Environmental Red-Flag Review & Subsurface Utility Engineering

5.1 Environmental Red-Flag Review. The Consultant shall identify potential environmental constraints that could affect future design and implementation, including natural resources (streams, wetlands, FEMA floodplains, threatened/endangered species habitat, prime agricultural lands), cultural and historic resources, and known regulatory or hazardous-materials concerns (e.g., EPA and state environmental databases). The product is a screening-level analysis intended to inform corridor recommendations, not a NEPA-level environmental document.

5.2 Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE), ASCE 38-02 Level D. The Consultant shall conduct a Level D investigation to identify utility conflicts within the corridor, including collection and analysis of existing records from municipalities, utility providers, and state and local GIS databases. The Consultant shall identify gaps in existing data and recommend locations where Level B or Level A investigation will be required for future project phases.

Task 6 — Public & Stakeholder Engagement

The Consultant shall develop and implement a public engagement program that provides meaningful opportunities for residents, business and property owners, corridor users, and other stakeholders to participate throughout the study.

The program shall include:

• Public/stakeholder engagement events, number of events as determined by TPO, TDOT, and City; approximated as three for the purposes of the RFQ, including two public workshops timed to (a) gather input on issues and priorities and (b) present and refine draft alternatives
• Two (2) public surveys, deployed via the project website and other channels
• A project-specific website to provide study information, host surveys, collect comments, and disseminate updates
• Digital engagement and social media content to extend the reach of the engagement program
• Presentations to the Regional Planning Commission and the City Council at appropriate milestones, including presentation of the draft recommendations

The Consultant shall document, summarize, and respond to public input received through all channels.

Task 7 — Alternatives, Conceptual Design & Recommendations

Based on the existing conditions analysis and public input, the Consultant shall develop and evaluate corridor improvement alternatives and prepare recommendations.

This task shall include:

• Identification and screening of corridor improvement alternatives addressing operations, safety, access management, multimodal accommodation, and gateway character
• Conceptual roadway design options and typical sections illustrating proposed cross-sectional treatments at representative corridor locations
• Evaluation of alternatives against project goals and screening criteria (which may include safety, mobility, constructability, environmental impact, public support, and cost)
• Phased recommendations for short-term (within 5 years), mid-term, and long-term (approximately 25 years) implementation
• Recommended access management policies and operational improvement strategies

The Consultant's recommendations shall be planning-level in nature. Detailed design (beyond typical sections) is not within the scope of this study.

Task 8 — Fiscal Analysis & Implementation

The Consultant shall develop planning-level cost estimates and an implementation strategy for the recommended improvements, including:

• Planning-level cost estimates for each recommended improvement or improvement package
• Identification of potential funding sources, including federal, state, regional, and local programs
• For each recommendation, identification of a likely lead agency, partners, anticipated timeline, and implementation considerations

Task 9 — Final Plan & Deliverables (Deliverables found in the full scope on the website)

IV. Consultant Qualifications

The selected Consultant team shall demonstrate the following qualifications. Submittals shall clearly address each.

• Current TDOT prequalification in Transportation Planning, Traffic Operations, Safety Studies, and Roadway Design. Sub-consultants performing work in these disciplines shall be similarly prequalified or have a completed prequalification form on file with TDOT by the submittal deadline. SUE work shall be performed by a firm prequalified in TDOT category U03 — Subsurface Utility Engineering.
• Demonstrated experience with corridor studies on Tennessee state routes or comparable contexts, including studies addressing growth pressures.
• Familiarity with TDOT's Project Development Process (PDP) and with current corridor planning practice, including phased implementation strategies and interagency coordination.
• Demonstrated capacity to facilitate effective public and stakeholder engagement, including in-person workshops and digital engagement tools.
• Experience coordinating with TDOT, the Knoxville Regional TPO, and local jurisdictions on transportation planning efforts.
• Qualified key personnel that will commit to the project for its duration. Identify lead staff that will report findings to the Regional Planning Commission and City Council.

V. Submittal Requirements

Firms shall submit one (1) electronic PDF, maximum 25 pages excluding covers and résumés, organized as follows:

1. Cover Letter and Contact Information. Signed cover letter (one page) with prime consultant, primary point of contact, and statement of interest.
2. Firm Background and Relevant Project Experience. Description of the prime and any sub-consultants, including TDOT prequalification status. Identify at least three (3) representative corridor studies of similar scope completed within the past ten (10) years, including the firm's role, key outcomes, and which proposed team members worked on each.
3. Key Personnel and Résumés. Project organization chart showing roles and time commitment. Résumés (max two pages each) for key personnel only.
4. Project Understanding and Approach. Demonstrate an understanding of the corridor and the City's goals, and describe the approach to each task in Section III, including any recommended refinements.
5. Proposed Schedule. Project schedule from notice-to-proceed through final report, identifying tasks, deliverables, and milestones.
6. References. Contact information for at least three (3) client references corresponding to the projects identified in Section 2.

Submittals shall be on 8.5" x 11" paper, single-sided, with minimum 11-point body text. Foldouts up to 11" x 17" count as a single page.

VI. Evaluation Criteria (listed in the full scope on the website).

VII. Schedule & Submittal Instructions

A. Procurement Schedule

The City reserves the right to adjust the schedule. Adjustments will be posted as addenda.

Friday, May 1, 2026: RFQ issued; Begin consultant Registration

Thursday, May 14, 2026: Questions Deadline (4:00 PM EDT)

Thursday, May 21, 2026: City response to questions: Addenda. Emailed to those registered and posted on the City website.

Thursday, May 29, 2026: SOQ Submittal Deadline (4:00 PM EDT)

June 2026: Evaluation and shortlisting; interviews; Consultant selection and notification

July 2026: Contract and Notice to Proceed

B. Submittal Instructions

Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.

See Submittal Instructionals at:

https://www.cityofloudontn.org/departments/city_recorder__finance/procurement.php

Issued by:

City of Loudon, Tennessee
Engineering & Planning Department