Kern’s Food Hall TrafficKern’s Food Hall Traffic Knoxville’s new Kern’s Food Hall has drawn large crowds, exacerbating existing traffic congestion on Chapman Highway. The current entrance lacks a traffic light, causing significant delays. To address these issues, a new intersection will be built at Fort Avenue and Chapman Highway. This improvement project includes: * New crosswalks with pedestrian signs * New traffic signals Benefits of the Project The intersection improvement project will: * Enhance safety for drivers and pedestrians * Facilitate access to Kern’s Food Hall and surrounding developments * Support future growth in the area Timeline The project is expected to be completed sometime next year. Quotes Molly Yerger Duff, Kern’s Food Hall real estate manager: * “It’s tough… a lot of people don’t know where to go… you can’t really turn left out of the lot. On our opening night, people were completely backed up… blocked off because there was a line to get out of the parking lot.” Karen McKeehan, Chief Transportation Engineer, City of Knoxville: * “This intersection improvement project will improve safety for both motorists and pedestrians… There’s a lot of development happening there… We expect a lot of people will want to use that entrance.” Alex Dominguez, lead developer of Kern’s Food Hall: * “This new intersection is not only convenient for Kern’s Food Hall customers, but also for those who drive Chapman Hwy every day.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The new Kern’s Food Hall is set to become a popular stop along Chapman Highway. The location seems to make existing traffic problems even worse. The current entrance is just south of the river from Downtown Knoxville and there is no traffic light there.
Now that Kern’s Food Hall has a new, vibrant dining and entertainment area that draws many people, a new intersection is needed to make it easier for people to get in and out of the lot.
PREVIOUS: South Knoxville Burger Shop Closes to Make Way for Kern’s Food Hall Development
“It’s tough in a lot of ways, one Kern’s is new, so a lot of people don’t know where to go anyway,” said Molly Yerger Duff, real estate manager for Kern’s Food Hall. “Secondly, you can’t really turn left out of the lot. On our opening night, people were completely backed up in the fire lane, completely blocked off because there was a line to get out of the parking lot.
One of the biggest concerns is the safety of drivers and pedestrians in that area, one thing the city of Knoxville hopes to solve with this project.
“This intersection improvement project will improve safety for both motorists and pedestrians at that intersection,” said Karen McKeehan, Chief Transportation Engineer. “There’s a lot of development happening there with Kern, with retail, restaurants and apartments. We expect a lot of people will want to use that entrance.”
How do fairs ensure safety? Video shows ride malfunction at Jefferson County Fair
This improvement project will provide new crosswalks with pedestrian signs and new traffic signals at the intersection of Fort Avenue and Chapman Highway. Duff said this traffic improvement project will benefit further growth in the area.
“Without the infrastructure to support it, you can’t grow,” she said. “I see them as growing pains and I know we have the apartments here. We have Kern’s Apartments. We have Kern’s Food Hall and there are more plans for the future for this area in terms of development, but without the infrastructure to support it.”
See more top stories on WATE.com
Alex Dominguez, lead developer of the Kern’s Food Hall project, said this new intersection is not only convenient for Kern’s Food Hall customers, but also for those who drive Chapman Hwy every day.
We have been told that this project could be completed sometime next year.
