Fort Sanders, Knoxville's densely packed enclave and home to many a University of Tennessee student, braces itself for a deep clean. The city's annual "Fort Sanders Summer Roundup" will see streets and public spaces getting a thorough scrubbing across two weekends this July—on the 13 and 14 and again on the 27 and 28, according to the City of Knoxville. While students are away soaking up the summer sun elsewhere, city crews will be sweeping in to spruce up the neighborhood known as "The Fort."
There's a catch for residents and visitors, however. The multitude of vehicles, usually lining the curb, clogging the neighborhood's arteries, must be moved or face the wrath of the tow truck. Trending towards empty during the summer break, the streets are set to be clearways on these two weekends, allowing access to those areas that are often neglected throughout the year due to parked cars. As per the City of Knoxville, it is "mandatory that all vehicles be moved on clean-up days from the streets being swept and cleaned."
"The Fort always looks its best after the Summer Roundup," City Parking Manager Mark Elliott said, as stated by the City of Knoxville. But the beauty comes at a price—if vehicles remain parked on the designated streets, owners will bear the cost and hassle of retrieving them from the impound yard.
The cleaning initiative starts with the east-west running streets, tackling them on the initial weekend. As reported by the City of Knoxville, "Vehicles that are not moved prior to each day’s clean-up will be towed." Fort Sanders, which holds a reputation for its tight quarters and high demand for on-street parking, receives the chance to breathe easier with this purge of pollution—provided vehicle owners heed the warnings.e.
