A utility upgrade will close a block of Main Street in downtown Knoxville between Monday, March 9 (weather permitting), and Tuesday, March 31.

KUB and its contractors will be closing Main Street between Gay Street and State Street while improvements are made to the utility infrastructure in that block.

The closure of this block of Main Street will prevent a direct connection from Main Street onto James White Parkway. But through mid-March, the intersection at State and Main will remain open, so eastbound motorists on Main Street wishing to access James White Parkway can opt to drive around the utility work by turning right onto Gay Street, left onto Hill Avenue and left onto State Street in order to turn right onto James White Parkway. Parkers in the Dwight Kessel Garage can continue to turn right onto the parkway after exiting the garage on State Street.

Or, motorists entering or leaving downtown could choose to bypass James White Parkway and connect to Interstate 40/75 via either Hall of Fame Drive or the Henley Street Connector.

By mid-month - tentatively, on or around March 16 - the work zone will expand, closing the intersection at Main Street and State Street. From then until the end of March, motorists will be unable to access James White Parkway from Main Street or State Street. The utility work is part of KUB's major $8.4 million Downtown Century II Utilities Upgrade Project to improve utility systems and provide reliable services now and through KUB's second century.

KUB encourages people to sign up for blog updates on the project: http://downtowncentury2project.blogspot.com/.

KUB publishes regular updates, and people can request an email notice each time the blog is updated. It's the best way to keep up with street closures and project updates.