A 100-year-old Island Home Park neighborhood pillar demolished by an errant commercial truck driver is being repaired, and City of Knoxville traffic engineers have added additional signs to direct drivers of commercial vehicles to safely use the designated truck route while a section of Island Home Avenue is closed.
The new signs are intended to reinforce the directive to stay off of neighborhood streets, such as Hillwood Drive.
Last week, a commercial truck driver delivering to Allied Toyotalift on Island Home Avenue apparently ignored signs warning against trying to navigate Hillwood and wound up knocking down the marble pillar.
The president of Allied Toyotalift immediately pledged to repair the column, which rests on City-owned right of way. The pillar has been struck and damaged several times previously, and City officials and the business owner are coordinating to get the pillar restored by the stonemasons who had made previous repairs.
Today, those repairs are under way. CEP Builders - owner Charles Edward Pruitt and his brother, Tim - will be doing the restoration. The Pruitts are native South Knoxvillians who grew up on Blount Avenue, not far from the pillar that they're repairing.
Meanwhile, City officials are reiterating information about the designated truck route in the area and where trucks are not allowed.
No-truck signs have long been posted on Hillwood Drive and Anita Drive.
Last week, additional signs have been posted on the James White Parkway ramp and at the Anita Drive and Cottrell Street interchange.
In the next few weeks, the City will be installing new signs that better guide drivers making local deliveries to businesses on the section of Island Home Avenue that is closed.
A section of Island Home Avenue between Sevier Avenue and Maplewood Drive is closed to through traffic while utility work is performed as part of construction for the River's Edge Apartments development. The 134-unit apartment complex - one-, two- and three-bedroom units in five buildings - is being constructed on the east end of Island Home Avenue, near the Island Home Park neighborhood.
The eastbound detour route during construction follows Sevier Avenue to McClung Avenue. It turns left at South Haven Road and continues to Island Home Avenue.
The westbound detour will use the same streets in reverse.
There also is a posted bicycle detour route.
KAT has placed two temporary stops along Route 40 on each side of the railroad tracks on Sevier Avenue. These will temporarily replace the permanent stop at Sevier Avenue and Simpson Street.
