Knoxville, Tenn. – The newly installed retractable bollards, set to create pedestrian-only zones in downtown Knoxville, will be raised each Friday at 6 p.m. and remain up until Sunday at 6 p.m. This move, aimed at boosting foot traffic and promoting a more walkable environment, has been met with mixed reactions from businesses in the area.
The pedestrian zone, which spans Market Street from Clinch Avenue to Market Square and Union Street from Walnut to Gay Street, is designed to offer a space where pedestrians can move freely without the interference of vehicular traffic. City officials believe the change will enhance the area’s appeal, drawing in more visitors who prefer to explore a car-free environment.
Tori Finklea, owner of Union Avenue Books, expressed her enthusiasm for the new pedestrian zone. “As a city, we don’t have a lot of those opportunities for people to have a purely pedestrian area,” she said. “We think it’s a great idea because people walk down here anyway.” Finklea believes the closure will help increase foot traffic, particularly among people who already frequent the area on foot. “This street is sort of a nightmare to drive down, especially when it’s really busy,” she added. “Most of the time when people find us, they’re walking through the street anyway.”
However, not all local business owners share Finklea’s optimism. Lisa Cyr-Burnett, owner of Nothing Too Fancy, voiced concerns that the weekend closures could have the opposite effect on her business. “When they do these similar road closures for events like the farmers market, we do get less foot traffic,” she said. “Foot traffic is very important to us being downtown.” Cyr-Burnett believes that when areas are blocked off, it creates the perception that there is nothing more to see or do further down the street. As a result, potential customers might not venture beyond the barricades, impacting sales for businesses located on the other side of the bollards.
Cyr-Burnett also pointed to previous experiences with “Road Closed” signs in the area, noting that they had a detrimental effect on her business. “We need some sort of signage with open sightlines to let people know that the businesses are still accessible and open for business,” she suggested. Without such clear markers, she fears people may be deterred from walking past the bollards.
Despite the concerns, the City of Knoxville plans to maintain the pedestrian zones every Friday through Sunday throughout the year, with the hope that it will bring lasting benefits to the downtown area. For now, business owners like Cyr-Burnett remain cautious, unsure whether the increase in foot traffic will make up for the potential loss of visibility.
As the new initiative rolls out, the coming months will reveal whether the pedestrian zones will succeed in boosting local business or if they will cause unforeseen challenges for those on the other side of the bollards.
