There will be a public meeting to review concept plans for street improvements to the 400 and 500 blocks of North Gay Street at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at Auto Technicians located at 523 N. Gay St.

City of Knoxville officials and consultants (Vaughn & Melton Engineering in partnership with Hedstrom Designs Landscape Architects) are prepared to show their concept plans and receive comments on the proposed streetscape improvements for the 400 and 500 blocks of North Gay Street.

This proposed work would complete streetscape work on North Gay from Depot Avenue to Emory Place as identified by a public process in 2008-2010 for Downtown North. Additionally, this work will complete the streetscape work on the entirety of Gay Street from the historic Gay Street Bridge over the Tennessee River to the street's northern terminus at Emory Place.

The concept plans call for narrowing the road to maintain a through lane in each direction, repair or replacement of sidewalks as necessary, providing landscaped areas for trees, and maintaining protected on-street parking.

These plans are consistent with the work that was done on the 300 & 600 Blocks of North Gay in 2011. It continues the city's efforts to link the core of Downtown to Downtown North by using complete streets concepts, along with consistent street furniture and landscaping.