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Rain delay? More like train delay
Editor Sarah here: Less than 30 seconds after I parked to take this photo, a train came. | Photo by NOOGAtoday
Ever been stuck waiting on a train on Hamill Road? Chattanooga leaders are working on a fix — and it could mean never waiting again.
This week, City Council approved $323,750 for a rail overpass that would separate train and vehicle traffic, allowing drivers to pass underneath without waiting.
Why it’s needed
The Hamill Road crossing has been ranked among the worst in Tennessee for blockages. In 2024, the city installed a monitoring system to track how often it was happening. Here’s what they found:
~30 train blockages per day
Average delay: just over 5 minutes
Longest delay: nearly 5 hours
~700 blockages longer than 10 minutes
Beyond a headache
The delays aren’t just frustrating — they can impact emergency response times for the nearby CommonSpirit Memorial Hospital and create a bottleneck within the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant evacuation zone.
The current status
The approved funding covers early engineering work, so there’s no construction timeline yet. We’ll keep an eye on what comes next.
Events
Events
Friday, April 24
ChattState Plant Sale | 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. | Chattanooga State’s TCAT Greenhouse | Price of purchase
Who will come out on top at this entrepreneurial showdown?
Presented by Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union
This fun competition is a great opportunity to support local entrepreneurs and highlight the strength of our business community. | Photos by Hannah Gueck
Networking opportunities, drinks, and snacks kick off the Chambliss Startup Social at 4:30 p.m., followed by five local startup finalists vying for $75,000 in grant funding at 6 p.m. ($30,000 grand prize, $15,000 for second place, and $10,000 each for three runners-up).
Go behind-the-scenes with the Boys in Blue. | Photo via Chattanooga Football Club
Watch
Big news, CFC fans — Chattanooga Football Club is getting the docuseries treatment. “Chattanooga vs. All Y’all” premieres Sunday, May 3 at 11:30 p.m. on WRCB Local 3, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the team’s first MLS NEXT Pro season. New episodes will drop weekly through June 14.
Try This
You’ve likely been to a baby shower, but what about a kitten shower? The Humane Educational Society is throwing one at Tanasi Brewing Company tomorrow from 1 to 3 p.m. to prepare for kitten season. Bring an item from the wish list and you might win a prize.
Community
Soddy-Daisy is hosting a community recycling event tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the old Health Department parking lot (9527 W. Ridge Trail Rd). Any Hamilton County resident can bring old tires, electronics, medications, or documents they’d like to safely get rid of.
Read
Tomorrow is Independent Bookstore Day, and you can celebrate by doing the Chattanooga Indie Bookstore Crawl. Grab a punch card from one of the eight participating stores and score deals along the way. Bonus: Complete your card by Friday, May 15 for a chance to win prizes.
Cause
Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge? It raised awareness about ALS across the world. Next Saturday, May 2, you can help raise awareness in our area by joining a free walk at Gilbert-Stephenson Park. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m., and the 1-mile walk begins at 10:30 a.m.
Plan Ahead
Lookout Comedy’s annual competition returns to The Comedy Catch next month, with 30+ comedians battling for cash and a festival spot. Shows kick off Wednesday, May 20 with a locals round, followed by prelims, semifinals, and finals through the weekend. Grab tickets.
Learn
If your budget feels tighter than it used to, it might be time to rethink a few everyday expenses. Read this list of 19 money-saving strategies and create a little breathing room in your budget.*
The Buy
Mother’s Day is quickly approaching. Shop some of our favorite unique gifts for the occasion at five different price points.
💖 Under 10: These mini vase fridge magnets spell out “mom” + include decorative blooms that can last a lifetime.
💖 Under $25: This magnolia bloom candle features hand-crafted petals and leaves + doubles as a decorative accent.
💖 Under $50: Let them know how much they mean to you with this embroidered mom of the year baseball hat.
💖 Under $75: Never let their coffee or tea go cold thanks to this sleek mug warmer with real-time temperature control.
💖 Under $100: Spark laughter with this charming thou shall not try me needlepoint pillow.
Which Broadway show are you most excited to see in Chattanooga in 2027?
It’s a tale as old as time — “Beauty and the Beast” took the top spot with 22% of your votes. But the race was really tight. Here’s the rest of the results:
Ready to close out April with a bang? Consult our April Plan Ahead to find the events rounding out this month, like Putt Putt in the Park coming up on Thursday, April 30.
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