ComingSoon: a North-South Multimodal Connectivity Corridor for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit-users. 🚲
Who’s paying for it?
The Tennessee Department of Transportation recently awarded Chattanooga a $1 million Multimodal Access Grant to enhance available transportation options.
Corridor features
- Transit shelters
- ADA accessibility improvements
- Additional Bike Chattanooga stations
- Support a new bus route on Tennessee State Route 17, which passes through N. Willow Street, E. 3rd Street, and Dodson Avenue
Timeline
We asked Ben Taylor — the CDOT Director of Transportation Operations — what the timeline is looking like. He said:
“Using grant funds from the state requires going through a thorough process to ensure that we design and build infrastructure that meets all state requirements and best serves the community. This process takes time, and it can often take a year or more before construction can begin. Once we get to the construction phase, I expect that we’ll be able to implement the improvements within 6 months.”
Why this specific project?
A big reason comes from data shared by Bike Chattanooga — the bikeshare program set growth records during the COVID-19 pandemic as locals spent more time outside using the city’s outdoor resources.
A chart of Bike Chattanooga rides per month | Provided by Shift Transit
Adding Bikeshare stations will link Southside neighborhoods to the Northshore + connect east-west corridors with north-south access for safe and efficient transportation options.
Bike Chattanooga has:
- 42 stations
- 400 bikes
- 55 (out of the 400) e-bikes
Growth
- 2013-2018: An average of 51,000 trips to ~20,000 users.
- 2019: 73,000 trips to over 26,000 users
- 2020: 88,000 trips to over 35,000 users in 2020
- 2021: Trips up 60% so far
Poll