After consideration, Chattanooga won’t test bike lanes on Frazier Avenue for now

Vehicles travel on Frazier Avenue on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. A transportation design firm has suggested the city temporarily stripe Frazier Avenue before going through with proposed bike lanes that would reduce the road to two lanes and a turn lane. Vehicles travel on Frazier Avenue on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. A transportation design firm has suggested the city temporarily stripe Frazier Avenue before going through with proposed bike lanes that would reduce the road to two lanes and a turn lane.

By David Cobb June 10, 2016 5 min read

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Test drive? Transportation firm recommended Frazier test project, city not planning one

An existing bike lane marker in a turn lane is visible on Frazier Avenue on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. A transportation design firm has suggested the city temporarily stripe Frazier Avenue before going through with proposed bike lanes that would reduce the road to two lanes and a turn lane.

Vehicles travel past Forest Avenue on Frazier Avenue on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. A transportation design firm has suggested the city temporarily stripe Frazier Avenue before going through with proposed bike lanes that would reduce the road to two lanes and a turn lane.

A car drives over an existing bike lane marker that shares the right lane of traffic on Frazier Avenue on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. A transportation design firm has suggested the city temporarily stripe Frazier Avenue before going through with proposed bike lanes that would reduce the road to two lanes and a turn lane.

A vehicle travels on Frazier Avenue as a cyclist turns from the sidewalk onto the Walnut Street Bridge on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. A transportation design firm has suggested the city temporarily stripe Frazier Avenue before going through with proposed bike lanes that would reduce the road to two lanes and a turn lane.

A transportation design firm hired by the city to evaluate the potential traffic impact of bike lanes recommended the city conduct a pilot project on Frazier Avenue before making a final decision on the proposal to add bike lanes to the busy North Shore street.

Bike lane pilot projects consist of temporary road restripings or the placement of traffic cones and are frequently used to simulate the road conditions that installing bike lanes would create.

City transportation director Blythe Bailey said Thursday there are no plans for a temporary pilot project now, but such a pilot project would be considered if Frazier Avenue merchants are in favor of the idea.

“We’re focused in 2016 on getting as much input as possible,” Bailey said. “If the community or the merchants want to see a temporary installation, we would certainly consider it.”

Alta Planning and Design conducted a 500-plus page analysis, sent to the city in April, that covered how traffic might be affected on a handful of streets where the city is considering adding bike lanes as part of its bicycle implementation plan.