Mayor Kelly Wolfe outlines 2026 vision after year of major projects

After a year of major projects, Jonesborough looks to 2026 with trails, roads and water system improvements. Jonesborough Mayor Kelly Wolfe reflected on a busy 2025 and shared an ambitious vision for 2026, highlighting major infrastructure projects, park improvements, water system expansions and traffic upgrades that aim to benefit the town's residents and surrounding areas. Wolfe said 2025 was a year of completing long-term projects, with Tiger Park and the Jonesborough school among the most notable. "Tiger Park lingered a little while after the school due to various funding issues, material delays, and even an unfortunate circumstance where a subcontractor's father passed away while installing the lights," Wolfe said. "It was very gratifying to have a ribbon-cutting with all the kids present, really excited for the future of that facility." He said the completion of the school and park represented a "great moment for the town," giving residents new recreational and educational resources after years of planning and construction. Sidewalk and road improvements also marked the year. Wolfe said the town restarted its road paving program and resumed sidewalk projects, including a new section along E. Main Street that will eventually connect to Johnson City as part of the First Frontier Trail. "We completed road improvements on Spring Street and converted it to one-way from Main to Franklin as part of the sidewalk project," Wolfe said. Franklin Street received a sidewalk upgrade, and lingering issues in both areas, including utility repairs, were resolved. Another major sidewalk project finished in front of the former Jonesborough High School, now Academy Hill condominiums, a project discussed for over 30 years, with only a handrail remaining to mark its completion. Lincoln Park also saw upgrades, including stairs to connect upper and lower parking areas and improved lighting designed to enhance safety while minimizing impact on nearby homes, Wolfe said. Wolfe noted water infrastructure was another key focus in 2025. The town launched a 8-million-gallon-a-day water plant on the Nolichucky River to replace the existing 3-million-gallon facility. "We've been putting waterlines underground at a rapid pace, with help from the Washington County Commission and county-funded waterline crew," Wolfe said. The town also repaired damage from Hurricane Helene and continues working toward providing utility water on every rural county road within its utility district boundaries. The oldest pump station on W. College Street is being replaced with a gravity-fed system to improve reliability and accommodate new developments in North Jonesborough and around the school on Boones Creek Road. Wolfe said the town is planning additional projects for 2026. Road paving will continue, with several key intersections and arterial routes targeted for milling — a process that grinds old asphalt to create a smooth, seamless surface for repair — and rebuilding rough spots or utility patches. He said sidewalk and trail development will expand, including on the First Frontier Trail project toward Johnson City and a trail from Mill Spring Park behind the courthouse to Stage Road Park, funded through a state grant. Wolfe said the town also recently purchased Green's Hill, a prominent hill framing downtown, which will be integrated into the trail and park system through a master plan. Water system projects are also in the works, including extending the school access road to Boones Creek Road and installing a 16-inch waterline to improve fire service, system redundancy and water flow throughout the town. An untapped 16-inch transmission line from the new water plant to the Persimmon Ridge holding tank will help maintain system pressure during peak use. Wolfe said the town is also working with Washington County to build a duplicate 3-million-gallon holding tank at Persimmon Ridge and hopes to construct one at Mitchell Ridge for additional storage and stability. Traffic improvements are a priority as well for Wolfe. Wolfe said a recent traffic study recommended repairs to intersections and signal upgrades, including synchronizing lights with a radio system to optimize flow. "Jonesborough is a small town with obligations much bigger than what happens in our corporate boundaries," Wolfe said. "We handle between 35,000 and 40,000 cars a day on Highway 11E and serve roughly 70 percent of rural Washington County with utility water. We are committed to being good stewards of the trust placed with us."