Construction gets underway next month on the $4.18 million first phase of the Magnolia Avenue Streetscape Project.

The community is invited to ask questions and learn more about the project at an open house, 5:30-7 p.m. Monday, July 23, at the John T. O’Connor Senior Center, 611 Winona St. 

City Engineering and Redevelopment staff will be there Monday to talk with stakeholders one on one. Also at this open house will be Vaughn and Melton, which is providing construction engineering and inspection services, and the general contractor, The Franklin Group.

The first of the two-phase streetscape project will make upgrades to a section of Magnolia Avenue between Jessamine Street and Myrtle Street. Improvements will include landscaped center medians with designated left turn lanes, new stamped crosswalks, designated on-street parking, traffic signal upgrades, street trees and landscaping, LED pedestrian and street lighting, and wider sidewalks and bike lanes.

Work will begin on the north side of Magnolia Avenue at Jessamine Street, and it will progress eastward to Myrtle Street. Then, the work will shift to the south side of Magnolia and move westward back to Jessamine.

One lane of traffic in each direction will be maintained on Magnolia Avenue throughout the project, and pedestrian access through the work zone – and access to businesses – will be maintained at all times.

A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 9, in front of the KAT employee parking lot at the northeast corner of Magnolia Avenue and Jessamine Street.

The first phase of the project is scheduled to be finished by fall 2019. At that time, the second phase – a stretch of Magnolia from Myrtle Street to Bertrand Street – will begin.

Text “Magnolia” to 313131 to receive project updates. For more details and to follow a project blog, visit www.MagnoliaAvenueStreetscapes.com.

Anyone needing a disability accommodation to attend the open house should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator, Stephanie Cook, at [email protected] or 865-215-2034. For an English interpreter, contact Title VI Coordinator Tatia M. Harris at 865-215-2831.