Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The ever-popular Gay Street in downtown Knoxville is set to become a pedestrians-only haven for four weekends this fall.

The City of Knoxville plans to close Gay Street to cars, from Wall Avenue to Union Avenue, between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. for two weekends in November and two in December.

The closures are part of a test to improve public spaces downtown and part of a pilot program aimed at turning streets into pedestrian-only areas.

Mayor Indya Kincannon said the move is being modeled after other cities that have similar programs.

“This block is always bustling and full of people,” said Mayor Indya Kincannon. “By opening this up for pedestrians it creates another community space much like Market Square. This is not a new idea, cities across the world like Paris, New York, Nashville, and New Orleans are taking back their streets and turning them into safe spaces for pedestrians. We are excited to see how residents and visitors utilize this space during these pilot weekends.”

Gay Street will close to cars, from Wall Avenue to Union Avenue, between 7:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. on the following weekends:

Nov. 10 & 11
Nov. 17 & 18
Dec. 8 & 9
Dec. 15 & 16
If the weekends go well, the change could come more regularly, even on other streets.