KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Merchant Drive is a popular road in Knoxville.
Or is it Merchants Drive, plural?
Maybe it's Merchant Road?
Most people just call it Merchants, no drive or road.
There's a right answer that no one can agree on and few people believe.
It's Merchant Drive. Singular.
Before you throw your phone down out of rage or punch your computer with anger, hear us out.
Merchant Drive is the correct street name recognized by the City of Knoxville and the Knox County 911 Center.
For decades people have called the road just Merchants. One man said it's because there are so many businesses, or merchants, on that road.
Maybe that's where it originated, but there's no clear answer to how this incorrect name came to be.
Something not helping this case is not all the road signs match.
Most of them correctly say Merchant Drive.
Some people said they've seen signs that say "Merchants Drive," though there aren't any up now on the stretch of the road itself.
The street signs at the intersection with Clinton Highway say "Merchant Road."
We reported that to 311 and the sign shop it's a mistake. They'll be changing those to say Merchant Drive.
According to the Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission, there's a method that goes into naming roadways.
Roads and streets go north and south.
Drives and avenues go east and west.
Merchant Drive goes northwest, putting it in both categories.
Yeah, it's confusing.
The good news is no matter what variation you say, everyone knows what you're talking about, even the 911 center.
So call it what you want! The road and those who frequent it know what you mean.
If you see any other incorrect, damaged or missing street signs, you can report it to the Traffic Sign and Marking Shop through the city's Traffic Engineering Division.
You can reach them by calling 865-215-6720, or connecting through the city's helpline by dialing 311.