A KUB utility upgrade will close three of the four lanes on a one-block section of Gay Street in downtown Knoxville, starting Monday, April 27. Only one northbound lane will be open on Gay Street between Main Street and Cumberland Avenue. The intersections of Gay at Main and Gay at Cumberland will remain open.

Southbound Gay Street traffic will be detoured via Cumberland Avenue, Locust Street and Main Street. No on-street parking will be allowed in the work zone. The utility work is expected to continue for up to a month. Once completed, KUB work will extend northward into the 700 block of Gay Street. A City of Knoxville Streetscape project to replace street medallions, add landscaping and widen and repair the sidewalks will start in the 700 block early this summer, following the KUB utility work.

Separately, KUB is also working on utility infrastructure on Hill Avenue, between Locust and Walnut streets. Much of that work is being done at night, with Hill Avenue open intermittently during the day.

KUB's utility work is part of its major $8.4 million Downtown Century II Utilities Upgrade Project to improve utility systems and provide reliable services now and through KUB's second century.

KUB encourages people to sign up for blog updates on the project: http://downtowncentury2project.blogspot.com. KUB publishes regular updates, and people can request an email notice each time the blog is updated. It's the best way to keep up with street closures and project updates.