Stoplight project means accessing this hot Knoxville hangout will get much easier
The entrance to one of South Knoxville's hottest new hangouts could get major improvements, but it will mean saying goodbye to a Chapman Highway fixture.
The Knoxville City Council unanimously approved a traffic light project that would improve drivers' ability to enter and exit Kern's Food Hall. To enter Kern's Food Hall from the north, for example, drivers now have access to a center turning lane but must cross in front of oncoming traffic without a stoplight to rely on.
Configuring the food hall entrance to the stoplight at the intersection of Chapman Highway and Fort Avenue will alleviate that stress.
Kern's Food Hall, comprised of multiple food and shopping vendors, opened at 2201 Kerns Rising Way in April after years of construction inside the former Kern's Bakery building. Its next phase of construction, the stoplight project, could begin soon after the Knoxville City Council decides the next steps.
The nitty gritty of the Kern's Food Hall stoplight project
Developers: Cannon and Cannon Inc.
Cost: $137,760
Completion date: Cannon and Cannon will have until Aug. 31, 2025, to complete the project. Kern's developer Alex Dominguez expects the project to wrap up in about five months.
Design details: The project moves the entrance along Chapman Highway to the intersection at Fort Avenue. The new configuration would include a one-lane entrance, a left-turn lane into the entrance, a two-lane exit with a designated right-turn lane, new crosswalks, upgraded sidewalks and a parking lot near the entrance.
What the entrance will be used for: The light will serve Kern's Food Hall, the Flagship Kerns apartments and a proposed hotel two years down the line.
Kern's Food Hall has roughly 250 free parking spaces for customers, though Dominguez has considered charging after 90 minutes to help alleviate crowds as the food hall grows.
"I think the traffic light will help everybody," he told Knox News. "Literally everybody."
However, the stoplight means Burger Boys will have to close its doors to make room for the new entrance. On Oct. 23, the drive-thru restaurant announced owner Andre Bryant had agreed to close.
Bryant plans to move his modular business, but no details have been shared. Knox News was unable to reach him to discuss his latest plans.
Keenan Thomas reports for the Knox News business growth and development team. You can reach him by email at [email protected].
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Kern's Food Hall parking will get easier with new Knoxville stoplight