How exactly would the proposed expanded trolley service serve the north end of downtown? Specifically, how did Knoxville Area Transit planners weigh the benefit of adding new trolley service to the Old City with offering direct service to the 100 block of North Gay Street? (And why can't KAT offer both?)
What are the challenges in offering better waterfront connections?
Why not add service to Emory Place? Or, how can KAT encourage ridership on its strong, reliable regular Central Street/Broadway transit service connecting Happy Holler, Three Rivers Market, Emory Place and other locations with downtown?
KAT is seeking feedback and public comment on its proposal to expand the downtown trolley system. The suggested budget-neutral upgrades offer new service to the Old City and extend evening hours of operation.
Lots of people have offered their suggestions and weighed in on the discussion. First, they shared ideas during the six "Trolleys on Tap" listening sessions. More than 500 people completed an online survey.
Next, KAT held two open houses to discuss the proposal, which was based on what people taking the survey and attending the "Trolleys on Tap" sessions said they most wanted. There's a public hearing scheduled for 3 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 28, in the Main Assembly Room, City County Building.
Some of the discussions involve operational details, and some common themes have emerged at the public meetings. To help further the discussion and report back on the public process, KAT staff has created a blog - www.knoxvilletn.gov/katblog.
"We’ve gotten lots of interest and lots of comments about our trolley plan," one informative blog post starts off. "Thanks to all of you for giving us your thoughts. Out of these, we’ve definitely got some themes and questions emerging, so we thought it might be good to provide some further explanation on why we made the choices we made. We’ll start with our most frequently asked questions or comments."
Here's a link: FAQs
There are plenty of opportunities to comment and make your voice heard:
- Email KAT. Go to www.katbus.com and click on the “Contact us” link.
- Call KAT at 865-637-3000.
- Mail your comments to: KAT Trolley Plan, 301 Church Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37915.
- Attend the Jan. 28 public hearing.
The Knoxville Transportation Authority board will vote on the trolley proposal at its regular meeting at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25, in the Main Assembly Room. If approved, the changes would take effect
on May 2.