The Federal Transit Administration issued its finding that the project would have no significant environmental impact to the city during the last week in September 2007.

That approval was the last one the city needed to move forward with the work and allowed Knoxville to close the deal to purchase the 1.57 acre tract at the east end of the Church Avenue Viaduct.

It is the current location of American Accessories and the city purchased the property and building for $1.85 million.

"I'm very pleased with the decision of the Federal Transit Administration and we're eager to get started making this much-talked about station into a reality," said Mayor Bill Haslam. "This new station is much-needed and it will serve our citizens very well for many years to come."

Galyon, the PBA's director of project development and information technology, said that currently planners are finishing up the preliminary engineering and moving forward with the final design of the building. He said that it is tentatively slated for completion in the fall of 2009.

Transit consultants and a design committee had looked at more than 30 potential sites downtown before deciding that the best place for the new Knoxville Station would be at the east end of the Church Avenue Viaduct near the city's Civic Coliseum. They based that decision on a combination of location, construction costs and operating costs. The project is being funded with a mix of federal, state and local fund with the city providing about $3.5 million for the project.