A public meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12 regarding the Streetscapes Project for the 12-Block Section of Central Street.

The meeting will be held at All Occasion Catering, 922 N. Central St. and Downtown North neighborhood and stakeholders are invited to share their ideas and hear details about the project.

An approximate $3.3 million infrastructure upgrade of North Central Street, between Magnolia Avenue and Woodland Avenue, will begin next spring, when City of Knoxville crews begin the first phase – repairing and replacing sections of sidewalks.

The next phases of the project will include new curbs, “bulb outs” and other features to improve pedestrian safety; better-defined on-street parking; better-marked bike lanes; stormwater and utility improvements; resurfacing; and landscaping. The work – funded jointly by the City, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration – is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2017.

“One unique aspect will be a linear park at Baxter Avenue and Central Street, which will serve as a gateway to Historic Happy Holler,” said Redevelopment Deputy Director Anne Wallace.

“Central will truly be a ‘complete street.’ We’ll be reducing the amount of asphalt in favor of increasing green space. These improvements will make the corridor more inviting and create safer options for people who are walking, parking vehicles or bicycling.”

Anyone needing a disability accommodation to attend the public meeting should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator, Stephanie Cook, at [email protected] or 865-215-2034. For an English interpreter, contact Joshalyn Hundley, Title VI Coordinator, at 865-215-3867 or at [email protected].