The
cement-walled "canyon" that visitors and locals felt they were entering
when approaching the city via the Highway 321 corridor has disappeared. The
tallest portions of cement retaining wall along the Highway 321
corridor now blend with the environment thanks to paint that simulates
the colors and patterns of natural rock faces in the area.
Camouflaged
by a group of painters working under the direction of Murals & More
of Franklin the low parapet walls now look like a handcrafted stone
wall, and the tall retaining walls look like a natural rock face. Beautification
of the Highway 321 corridor is a result of residents' complaints about
the ugliness of the highway-widening project.
As a result, the
Tennessee Department of Transportation began working in March 2004 with
The University of Tennessee to put together a Citizen Based Resource
Team (CBRT) composed of a cross-section of people with different
interests to come up with concepts to beautify the corridor. The
CBRT ultimately came up with the idea to blend the cement walls into
the environment with paint, and beautify the corridor with landscaped
medians.
Bob Miller, a spokesman for Great Smoky Mountains National Park
and a member of the CBRT, said, "We tried to pick a paint pallet that
resembles the kind of rock you see in the area where there are cut rock
faces. I was not a proponent of the painting originally, but I'm
pleasantly surprised at how good the representation of stone blocks
looks. I don't think 85 percent of the people zipping by notice that
they're not genuine stone." Miller's opinion is supported by business owners along the corridor who were not members of the CBRT.
Sherrill
Crowe, owner of Reigning Animal Crafts, said quite a few of her
customers have commented about the beautiful wall put up across the
road from her shop. "They ask who did the
rock work," said Crowe. "They can't tell that it's not real rock, and I
don't burst their bubble by telling them it's painted." She went on to say, "Personally, I think it looks like rock. ... Just imagine what the landscaping will do for Highway 321."
Further
down the road, Coffee Loft owner Kevin Tierney said the look is what he
expected. "I'm pleased. Those big walls were a challenge, but with the
blend of colors used, the walls visually just fall away. Knowing about
the plans for the plantings that are to be put there, I know the colors
will be a great background that won't compete against the flowers and
shrubs." Tierney added that locals who were
skeptical about the painting concept have told him they are amazed at
the way the walls now blend into the background.
Lee Mellor, owner of the Buckhorn Inn on Buckhorn Road, said the painting is a "terrific improvement. We
had many guests say they were appalled at the concrete jungle, and some
who have come back a year later are now commenting how much more
attractive it is," Mellor said, adding her thanks to the city and CBRT
members for their careful consideration in improving the corridor.
Marty
Nicely, the city's recreation department director, said the cost of the
project is covered by a $1.084 million state grant and matching funds
of $350,000 from the city. "We hope to bid
out the landscaping project this summer, with the first phase of
planting to begin after Sept. 1," Nicely said. He noted that placement
of trees, shrubs, native grasses, vines, flowers and ferns will be
approved by TDOT in consideration of sight lines from intersections,
turn lanes and curves in the road.
Doug Blalock of Charles
Blalock & Sons, which has the road contract, said, "We're working
feverishly on the medians. ... We may be done (with the medians) by
June 30 if all goes extraordinarily well."
Final surfacing will take place after the median work is completed.