West Walnut Street Streetscape
Johnson City, Tennessee
The Streetscapes Issue of Landscape Architect and Specifier News saw many firms submit their projects for feature consideration. West Walnut Street Streetscape is one of several great projects we are excited to showcase on LandscapeArchitect.com.
Initiated by the City of Johnson City to fulfill their West Walnut St. Corridor Redevelopment Plan, this $41 million initiative transformed an underutilized commercial roadway into a vibrant, multi-modal spine connecting downtown to the East Tennessee State University campus. The project fully rebuilt the roadway and utility infrastructure, undergrounding overhead utilities to introduce wider sidewalks, on-street parking, and a dedicated two-way bicycle track. Engineered by lead civil firm LDA
Engineering partnering with Arbor Land Design, the project earned the 2025 TCAPWA Mark Miller Project of the Year Award and a 2026 ACEC National Recognition Award.
A centerpiece of the revitalization is the three-block segment of Earnest Street, linking West Walnut Street to the adjacent neighborhood and an existing greenway trail. One vehicular block was transformed into an inviting pedestrian plaza beside the recently renovated historic post office. Arbor Land Design envisioned this new public space as an extension of the streetscape, continuing the same quality hardscape materials to integrate seamlessly with the broader corridor design.
Throughout the streetscape, Arbor Land Design specified a diverse palette of Unilock pavers. The team utilized these durable materials to create distinctive patterns that delineate raised intersections, crosswalks, on-street parking bays, and the protective medians that divide the bicycle track from vehicular traffic.
To see more Streetscape projects, go to: https://landscapearchitect.com/landscape-articles/lasns-hardscapes-water-features-issue
For more information about submitting a project, go to: https://landscapearchitect.com/research/editorial/editorial-submissions.php
