ETOWAH STREETSCAPE
Project cost: $545,000
Etowah share: 11.5 percent
Tennessee Department of Transportation share: 88.5 percent
Source: Etowah city government
ETOWAH, Tenn. — Work on a new sidewalk and landscaping along U.S. Highway 411 is almost finished, and local leaders say they are pleased with the result.
“It now looks fantastic, and everybody loves it,” Talk of the Town restaurant owner Ann Sims said.
“We had to close down for two weeks for the work, but we took a vacation and cleaned the place from the top to the bottom,” she said.
Concrete-and-brick sidewalks are being built along five blocks of the city’s shopping area where restaurants, antique stores and discount shops line the street.
City Manager Andy Hyatt said the project cost a bit more than $500,000, including $337,000 for sidewalks and the remainder for wiring and lighting.
Work began last fall but winter weather delayed the project. The contractor, Kleenco of Chattanooga, is back on schedule with only a little work left to complete, Mr. Hyatt said.
“We are seeing a very positive reaction,” Mr. Hyatt said of the work.
The next step is for the city commission to draft an ordinance so new buildings are constructed with a common look that will fit the overall theme, he said.
The L&N Depot in Etowah is the departure point for scenic trips along the Hiwassee River on a rail line owned by the Tennessee Overhill Association.
Overhill spokeswoman ShyAm Nunley said the work will make Etowah “more walkable.”
She especially likes the new lamp posts that line the street. She said that may draw more people downtown to shop and dine after dark.
“I believe the tourists will go a block or two farther into the city than they normally do,” Ms. Nunley said.
Local residents Julie and Gary Cook said they walk in town about every day and have watched the work as it progressed. Both said the work is making their daily walks much more pleasant.
Debbie Craven said there have been some inconveniences. She had to let customers through the back door of her antiques shop during construction, she said. But she believes the upgrade will bring in more customers.
Mr. Hyatt said the city may consider other projects, including lighting at a nearby walking park, to bring more people downtown.
Etowah began in the early 20th century as a railroad town but it waned over time. In recent years, the area has developed as a retail center, and the widening of U.S. Highway 411 has brought more traffic and more sales, local officials said.
Mr. Hyatt said there are some vacant buildings downtown, but he believes they will soon be filled with more shops.
