Larry GrohnChattanooga City Councilman Larry Grohn has questioned the value and purpose of a proposed $2.2 million greenway connector for Alton Park.
The plan calls for created a shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists that begins near the intersection of Central Avenue and 38th Street and follows an abandoned CSC rail corridor north to West 33rd Street and turns west connect to a section of the Riverwalk that will soon parallel St. Elmo Avenue.
This evening, the council votes whether to authorize the Chattanooga Department of Transportation to apply for a Tennessee Department of Transportation Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality [CMAQ] Improvement grant that would cover all but $440,000 of the project’s estimated cost.
“I’m having a hard time wrapping my hands around” how much benefit the city will receive for a a $440,000 investment in the project, Grohn said today during the council’s agenda session.
Grohn compared the $2.2 million total cost with a similarly-priced makeover that placed three vehicle lanes, two bicycle lanes and two sidewalks along a stretch of Shallowford Road. Both projects measure approximately a mile.
Chattanooga transportation engineer Bert Kuyrkendall said the proposed trail will enable Alton Park residents more access to the nearby areas, whether for work, shopping or school.
“Basically it’s providing facilities to connect Alton Park, really, to the rest of the city,” Kuyrkendall said.
Grohn also questioned whether the grant’s usage matched its intent.
“I think this is a huge stretch for what the CMAQ grant is meant to do in terms of reducing congestion and reducing air pollution,” Councilman Grohn, who also asked how it might reduce bus riding numbers from Alton Park.
“This really does fit well in that it connects the entire neighborhood to a lot of opportunities in the city,” Kuyrkendall said. “So it really is a great application for the CMAQ.”
The fact that a lot of Alton Park residents use the bus makes for a greater reason to have better walking and biking connectivity, Kuyrkendall said.
Councilman Chris Anderson, who represents Alton Park, expressed dismay over Grohn’s comments.
“It shocks me – shocks me – that a member of this body says we shouldn’t apply for this grant or imply that we don’t meet the criteria,” Anderson said.