Tonight, a public hearing will allow planners with the City of Knoxville to brief local residents and merchants on the status of an extensive project to remodel parts of Cumberland Avenue.
The hearing, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the UT Federal Credit Union on White Avenue, will also allow attendees a chance to comment on elements of the effort to change the face of Cumberland Avenue. The stretch of blacktop between Alcoa Highway and the University of Tennessee is home to numerous shops and restaurants, and is frequented by UT students and employees. In 2013, more than 36,000 vehicles traveled along the most congested parts of Cumberland on an average day, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
Main goals of the renovation include increasing available parking areas, adding a center turn lane and widening pedestrian pathways. A key proposal up for discussion would use tax revenues from businesses to help finance infrastructure improvements. The plan anticipates growth in revenues from property taxes after the Cumberland Avenue renovations are complete.
The city of Knoxville may begin soliciting bid proposals for the first phase of construction this month, according to Anne Wallace, who oversees the Cumberland Avenue Corridor Project for the city. Work will likely begin toward the end of calendar year 2014, with a second phase to follow. Completion of the entire project is expected in 2017.