Save the heart of downtown for pedestrians
by Daniel Pyne
Several years ago a group of business people and owners of property in the downtown area of Knoxville started a discussion on what would really work to make downtown Knoxville a place that would attract people from all points.
After years of talking about the pros and cons, an outline was proposed to see if a plan could be put in place and if it was feasible. Now that we have an outline on paper, it needs to be discussed with other interested parties for feedback on the proposal.
The ultimate goal would be to connect the Old City with the newly developed Market Square. A walking mall could be built for people to travel from one area to another without motor vehicles, except for trolleys on the main streets to and from. Pedestrians would have the right of way on any of the assigned streets in the walking mall area and could ride trolley cars when wanted or needed, getting on an off at any place they wish. Everything is in place to implement the plan, and very few adjustments would need to be made, saving the city and the county money.
The downtown walking mall should be a place where event-bound people could shop and eat or just relax before and after a concert at the Coliseum, the fireworks display, the Dogwood Arts Festival, shows at the Tennessee Theatre or other downtown events.
Knoxville is a direct link to the Smoky Mountains visited by 12 million people each year. Given an incentive, some of those folks would stay in Knoxville motels and spend their time and money here, away from the crowded Gatlinburg area. University of Tennessee students would have a nearby place to bring guests. A walking mall, and its resulting development, would entice groups to consider booking the new convention center, because of its proximity to Market Square. With free trolley service to convey guests to and from hotels, Knoxville would appeal to conventioneers over other cities.
Access is the most important factor the city faces, but with proper planning and the utilization of a transportation system, such as a trolley service, the city could close off a designated route to all non-trolley traffic. Adequate parking space for large numbers of motorists visiting the mall should be built within a block of the main stretch of the mall. Trolleys could then transport pedestrians from parking garages to the mall. People shopping would be able to expeditiously transport their purchases back to their [vehicles or] accommodations without any problems. The main attraction of the mall would be sidewalk cafes, retail shops, entertainment along the mall and park benches. The streets could have trees and green areas, giving people a feeling of freedom. In addition, downtown residents would be relieved of the air pollution from motor vehicles.
As the downtown area grows with the mall plan, the surrounding area would also benefit. New businesses would replace old ones and bring more employment and increased tax revenues for Knoxville. The pedestrian mall would be a place where people could really enjoy themselves. Police on horseback, which would add to the atmosphere, could easily keep an eye on everything going on. Businesses would eventually expand all over the downtown area, including the alleyways and side streets.
The mall should begin at Jackson Avenue in the Old City and run south to Summit Hill Drive where a crossover would cross Summit Hill at Central; people could then continue west on Summit to Gay Street, then go south on Gay to a designated point such as West Clinch, then travel west on Clinch to the Market Square area. The plan would allow for commercial traffic to reach any destination in town without having to use this section of Gay Street. Also, a crossover could be constructed on Gay Street at Summit Hill to allow for pedestrians coming from Jackson Avenue to cross safely.
This is only an outline. There are other things that were taken into consideration, such as deliveries to the downtown businesses, traffic flow to and from the courthouse, emergency vehicle access, etc. If this proposal or a variation of it is interesting to the people of Knoxville, contact me.
Daniel Pyne is a retired production engineer.
February 26, 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 9
© 2004 Metro Pulse
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