Now that Knoxville’s “road diet” along Highway 14/Lincoln Street is set to become a reality, the focus shifts to how it will be implemented by the city and state – and received by the public.
The Knoxville Chamber of Commerce “Lunch and Learn” presentation on Tuesday dealt with the plan to change to a three-lane road. It will have two main driving lanes and a center turning lane, running from north to south; there will also be new traffic signals at some intersections, including the one at Lincoln and Robinson Street.
Knoxville Chamber Executive Director Hannah Vander Veer tells KNIA/KRLS News safety is the overriding factor for the road diet plan, and that it will be safer for drivers and pedestrians in the long run.
“The Chamber does feel that it will be a safer option, especially for that area around the middle school. It’s important to keep our people safe,” Vander Veer says. “How it will affect businesses…it’s a little bit unclear; what we did find, though, is that when people slow down they’re more likely to see what’s going on around them, and more likely to pull into a business.”
She says the Chamber recognizes that some of their own members are worried about the impact of these changes on their businesses, and on the overall quality of life in town.
But Vander Veer says with state funding involved, these changes are required to give Lincoln the upgrades it needs.