The Knoxville Police Department will be educating delivery truck drivers this week on how to lawfully find and park in commercial loading zones in the Cumberland Avenue area.

They’ll also have a few kind words for small-vehicle motorists who illegally park in those commercial loading zones – making them unavailable for the commercial drivers dependent on them to make deliveries to nearby businesses.

KPD will be stepping up its enforcement against violators. Warnings will be issued this week. But starting the week of Aug. 10, drivers who park illegally will be given citations.

Lanes are being closed during the City’s two-year-long $17 million reconstruction of Cumberland Avenue – making it even more important that drivers of cars and delivery trucks cooperate so that merchants can receive their shipments and traffic flow not be unexpectedly hindered.

Eighteen commercial loading zones, with specific hours, were designated before the Cumberland Avenue project got under way.

Click here to view a map showing those loading zones.

“With changes in traffic flow and the adjustments made for designated delivery locations, we’ll be educating folks this week on where the commercial loading zones are,” said KPD West District Commander Capt. Don Jones.

“It’s especially important, with the return of University of Tennessee students and traffic increasing, that people respect the commercial loading zones. Everyone has to abide strictly by the parking regulations for safe traffic flow.”