Despite the cheering and horn-honking celebration that came with the Wilcox Tunnel's reopening last week, a community council representing several neighborhoods near the tunnel said it is not pleased with the tunnel's renovation.
The North Brainerd Community Council, which represents 11 neighborhoods within the Eastdale/North Brainerd communities, said in a statement the city should continue seeking funds to build a new tunnel adjoining the first.
"We cannot accept the notion that a major renovation of any type has taken place," according to the three-page written statement signed by Ezra Harris, chairman of the North Brainerd Community Council. "The existing tunnel is still not equipped to handle emergency personnel equipment, buses or large-scale vehicles."
City Councilman Yusuf Hakeem said the $2 million renovation made the tunnel safer with its better lighting and reduced water leakage.
Enlarging the tunnel was never part of this particular capital project, City Transportation Director Blythe Bailey added.
Harris' statement also took aim at the city's mitigation efforts.
The city created Chattanooga's first Construction Mitigation Program this year after several business owners and representatives complained about the negative effect the closed tunnel had on their businesses. The mayor offered businesses who applied for the program and were approved $1,000 to use any way they wanted. He also offered assistance with advertising and parking.
The North Brainerd Community Council said the mayor did not do enough.
"It is our view that the sum of $1,000 is a minuscule figure," Harris wrote. "Area businesses need the sum of $1,000 for each month the tunnel has been out of commission."
The tunnel, which carried some 16,000 people a day, closed Aug. 17, 2015, with the city planning to complete renovations and have it open again at the end of Feburary. The city later extended its deadline to April 11 but opened the tunnel a week early.
"It's got incredible lighting," said Mayor Andy Berke. "We've sealed the top, and today we're opening it back up for traffic to make sure that these two neighborhoods [East Chattanooga and Eastdale] are connected."
Stopping water leaks caused the delay in the work and was one of the biggest challenges, he said.
In 2015, the city sought $54 million for tunnel renovations from the federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant program. The city was willing to front $25 million of it, but the effort was unsuccessful.
Hakeem said the city is applying again this month for the TIGER grant and it will know before the end of summer if it is selected.
Bailey said earlier that the success rate for obtaining the grant is less than 10 percent.
The grant in 2015 provided nearly $500 million for 39 projects in 34 states.
The city will continue to request federal funds through the TIGER grant process to aid in the building of a new tunnel that will address these issues for larger vehicles, he said.
The Community Council also calls for a toxic release assessment and inventory of the area, a study that would measure the effect of traffic flow to communities in that area.
According to the council, the tunnel is still "riddled with toxic fumes and emissions" and it still causes a disparate impact on the communities surrounding it.
Bailey responded that an air quality and control report was conducted several years ago and it did not find issues with air quality and emissions. He said the city is "happy to look into whether a new study can be performed."