The third-annual Chattanooga Motorcar Festival hits the gas next week, and several area roads will be closed or restricted during the events. The four main areas that will be affected include the West Village, Riverfront Parkway at The Bend development (the former Alstom site), Carter Street/Fort Street adjacent to the Chattanooga Convention Center and the Tennessee Riverwalk.
The Chattanooga Division of Transportation recommends spectators and visitors park in lots and garages that surround downtown and use the free electric shuttle and bike share system.
Public activities start Friday morning and end Sunday night. A general schedule of events can be found online, along with information on festival-operated shuttles, activities, tickets and more at chattanoogamotorcar.com.
Restricted from noon Oct. 9 to 11:30 p.m. Oct. 18
-- Riverfront Parkway between West M.L. King Boulevard and West 19th Street. Reduced to one-lane, one-way traffic northbound only.
All vehicles entering or exiting businesses between West M.L. King and West Main Street must turn northbound. Access to businesses will be maintained with detours via Boynton Drive and West Main Street. All southbound through traffic on Riverfront Parkway will be detoured via West M.L. King, Broad Street and West 20th Street. The Chattanooga Police Department will have uniformed officers directing traffic at Riverfront Parkway and M.L. King, Main and 19th.
Closed from noon Oct. 9 to Oct. 18
-- Tennessee Riverwalk between Blue Goose Hollow Trailhead and the Chestnut Street Trailhead. Riverwalk patrons will be detoured from Blue Goose Hallow, across Riverfront Parkway at West M.L. King Boulevard to the east sidewalk. The detour will continue southbound until crossing back over Riverfront Parkway at West 19th Street.
Closed from 6 p.m. Oct. 10 to 11 a.m. Oct. 12
-- Chestnut Street between West Eighth Street and West M.L. King Boulevard. Access will still be maintained for parking garages facing Chestnut Street.
-- West Eighth Street between Pine Street and Broad Street.
-- Pine Street between West M.L. King Boulevard and 200 feet north of West Eighth Street. Access will still be maintained for parking lot access on either end of the closure.
Closed from 11 a.m. Oct. 12 to midnight Oct. 17
-- Chestnut Street down to West M.L. King Boulevard from West Seventh Street, restricting access to the parking located within the closure.
-- Pine Street between West M.L. King Boulevard and 200 feet north of West Eighth Street. Access will still be maintained for parking lot access on either end of the closure.
-- West Seventh Street between Chestnut Street and Pine Street.
Closed from 6 p.m. Oct. 12 to midnight Oct. 16
-- Carter Street northbound between West 11th Street and West 13th Street. Access will be maintained in both directions for the Marriott/Convention Center Parking Garage on the north side of the closure. Traffic exiting West 12th Street can only access Carter Street southbound. Detours will be posted for all northbound traffic via West 13th Street and Broad Street.
-- Fort Street between West 13th Street and West 14th Street.
-- Compiled by Kim Sebring