City of Knoxville, TN
04/30/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/30/2026 13:09
Downtown / South Knoxville Open House May 5
The City of Knoxville is launching a Downtown / South Knoxville Connectivity Study - and, to be most effective, the planners need to hear from residents.
A kickoff drop-in open house is scheduled from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5, in the Main Assembly Room of the City County Building. Residents are encouraged to review maps and traffic-flow data, ask questions, and provide feedback directly to the project team.
An online survey will follow, to be launched May 5. The survey will be available for a month.
A lot has changed in just a few years in the relatively compact area where Downtown and South Knoxville meet:
• Thousands of residents now live along the Chapman Highway and Blount Avenue corridors in new apartments.
• The popularity of the Urban Wilderness and Sevier Avenue commercial district has spiked.
• The 127-year-old Gay Street Bridge can no longer accommodate the weight of vehicular traffic, but it's used by hundreds of bicyclists and pedestrians each day. The majority of motorists who once used the Gay Street Bridge have diverted to the James White Parkway Bridge, according to traffic count data.
Citywide, who uses which of the three bridges crossing the Tennessee River, and why? Which bridge(s) have capacity to efficiently move more commuters?
And how do existing and future greenways, bike routes and transit options improve mobility and connectivity?
These and additional questions are a part of the Downtown / South Knoxville Connectivity Study, which will assess opportunities to improve connectivity across the Tennessee River. The study is focusing on lower-cost high-impact improvements that strengthen access and mobility. The study will identify issues, opportunities and priorities that will guide the City's future planning.
The City of Knoxville ensures meaningful access to City programs, services, and activities to comply with Civil Rights Title VI and ADA Title II laws and reasonably provides: translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, auxiliary aids and services.
To request language translation services, contact the City's Human Resources Department at [email protected] or 865-215-3100. For disability accommodations, contact City ADA Coordinator Stephanie Brewer Cook at [email protected] or 865-215-2034.
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A kickoff drop-in open house is scheduled from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5, in the Main Assembly Room of the City County Building. Residents are encouraged to review maps and traffic-flow data, ask questions, and provide feedback directly to the project team.
An online survey will follow, to be launched May 5. The survey will be available for a month.
A lot has changed in just a few years in the relatively compact area where Downtown and South Knoxville meet:
• Thousands of residents now live along the Chapman Highway and Blount Avenue corridors in new apartments.
• The popularity of the Urban Wilderness and Sevier Avenue commercial district has spiked.
• The 127-year-old Gay Street Bridge can no longer accommodate the weight of vehicular traffic, but it's used by hundreds of bicyclists and pedestrians each day. The majority of motorists who once used the Gay Street Bridge have diverted to the James White Parkway Bridge, according to traffic count data.
Citywide, who uses which of the three bridges crossing the Tennessee River, and why? Which bridge(s) have capacity to efficiently move more commuters?
And how do existing and future greenways, bike routes and transit options improve mobility and connectivity?
These and additional questions are a part of the Downtown / South Knoxville Connectivity Study, which will assess opportunities to improve connectivity across the Tennessee River. The study is focusing on lower-cost high-impact improvements that strengthen access and mobility. The study will identify issues, opportunities and priorities that will guide the City's future planning.
The City of Knoxville ensures meaningful access to City programs, services, and activities to comply with Civil Rights Title VI and ADA Title II laws and reasonably provides: translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, auxiliary aids and services.
To request language translation services, contact the City's Human Resources Department at [email protected] or 865-215-3100. For disability accommodations, contact City ADA Coordinator Stephanie Brewer Cook at [email protected] or 865-215-2034.
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City of Knoxville, TN published this content on April 30, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 30, 2026 at 19:09 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]