KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Three miles of old railway is now being converted into trails in South Knoxville.

“Anymore walkability in the area is just good for business, and all the other local businesses,” Sammy Pajcic, the owner of Chopper Barbershop said.

Gulf and Ohio Railways said it’s planning to abandon nearly four miles of its rail line for the project.

“We’ve maybe seen a train come here, maybe a couple handful times, not really on schedule,” Noah Neagles, a worker at Hi-Wire Brewery said.

The ‘SoKno Art Walk’ will connect Kerns Food Hall to the Ijams Nature Center. It will go straight through the South Knoxville business district.

“It’s going to be awesome, bring in and connect communities, make it more accessible by foot,” Neagles said.

In recent years, South Knoxville has gone under some renovations.

“Just turn some of those kind of a little bit of an eye sore into something that’s, you know, kind of beautiful and got a little bit more cultured. South Knoxville, really prides itself on that,” Neagles said.

More locally owned businesses moving in as the community continues to grow. Much like the railroads, older buildings have undergone similar renovations.

“You know, even these buildings itself, they’re old, dilapidated buildings that are being revitalized into a community center that people can gather and sit in and connect, make it feel more like a community,” Neagles said.

Many who work or live in the area said this trail can be a big difference maker when it comes to walking in the area.

“Just walkability for the neighborhood up to Chapman, I think that maybe the way right now is a little bit long and then right when you get up to Chapman, it gets a little risky at the four-way intersection, so I think being behind the intersection is going to be a little bit easier,” Pajcic said.