A city hemmed in by mountains with a major river flowing through the middle of it poses a transportation challenge, officials say.
But a new way of looking at transportation could mean options that include parking cars and looking for other ways to get to work, go to the grocery store or go shopping.
“One of the elements is the ‘complete streets’ component,” said Melissa Taylor, director of transportation planning for the Chattanooga-Hamilton County-North Georgia Metropolitan Planning Commission. “Our past travel models have been automobile driven.”
As traffic continues to grow in Chattanooga and Southeast Tennessee, transportation planners are looking at developing “multi-modal” methods of travel, so-called ‘complete streets’ that make room for automobile traffic, bicycle routes and pedestrian walkways.
Examples can be seen along the newly widened Ashland Terrace and the new Northpoint Boulevard extension from Hixson Pike to Hamill Road near Northgate Mall. Both roads offer sidewalks and bicycle-friendly corridors.