Leonard Dean waits for the traffic light to change as he sits in traffic on Frazier Avenue in Chattanooga.North Shore residents and business owners gathered at the Tennessee Small Business Development Center on Wednesday evening for the North Chattanooga Summit II.
The summit was put on by Councilmen Chip Henderson and Jerry Mitchell in conjunction with the North Chattanooga Council and the North Shore Merchants Collective.
During the summit, different committees gave presentations about plans for development in the area, including re-envisioning Cherokee Boulevard and Frazier Avenue as well as ways to fix traffic congestion and bike safety in the area.
Peter Yakimowich, a representative from the design firm ARCADIS, gave the presentation on Cherokee Boulevard. He showed images of a future Cherokee Boulevard that would have dedicated bike lanes, safer on-street parking and medians with trees to help absorb rainwater and prevent flooding.
"We saw [the boulevard] as a new gateway into the city," he said. "More than just a passage through a place, but a place people want to be."
On Frazier Avenue, one plan proposes restricting traffic to one lane in each direction, dedicating a center lane for left turns. Dedicated bike lanes would continue onto the avenue from Cherokee Boulevard.
Renovations to Coolidge and Renaissance Parks also were discussed. Coolidge Park would see completely replaced flower beds, removal of some trees and enhanced green spaces, while Renaissance Park would be fixed up with safer bridges and better lighting.
Leanna Young, the president of the North Chattanooga Chamber and emcee of the event, said the point of these meetings is to get public feedback and connect North Shore residents with their representatives to discuss ideas for the community.
"The whole reason we started it was to get citizens of Chattanooga to speak to the councilmen," she said.
Although many plans are underway, others still need funding or budgets and further approval before beginning.
Contact staff writer Hannah Smith at hsmith@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6731.