Transit in Chattanooga encompasses everything from modern, quiet electric buses to a 120-year-old railway up the side of Lookout Mountain, with taxis, diesel buses and bike racks for the masses in the mix.
The city’s transportation agency, CARTA, wants to create what it calls a transportation center that could serve as a “gateway” for all those transit options and more, such as light rail, in the future.
As part of a yearlong study for that project, CARTA last week held the first in a series of public meetings to inform and gather public input on its Multimodal Transportation Center study.
CARTA says the proposed center would provide transportation choices, enhance the image and effectiveness of public transportation and foster economic development while analyzing existing CARTA services. The study will look at where such a center should be located and what services it would offer.
Executive Director Lisa Maragnano said she was thrilled when nearly 100 people showed up for the first meeting, Thursday at the Chattanooga Choo Choo.
“This is what we need,” Maragnano said. “We need your answers, your suggestions. Your input is vitally important to the success of this project.”
Community members heard a presentation on the project and were encouraged to tour five poster-board stations. Some of the posters offered information, such as maps of existing CARTA routes and service information
Others asked for input, asking attendees to put stickers on maps asking “Where is service needed?” (clusters of stickers indicated Red Bank and East Ridge) and “Where would you like the new center to be located?” (clusters indicated downtown, near the Choo Choo).
At another station, people were asked to say how CARTA could improve its service, such as “more frequent service” or “more amenities.” The top vote-getter, indicated by a cluster of neon stickers, was “service to more places/areas.”
Jean Smith, who lives in the ML King neighborhood downtown, said she’d like to see an electric shuttle stop in her neighborhood. She also likes the idea of a high-speed train from Chattanooga to Atlanta. She said it’s “short-sighted” not to invest in public transportation.
“Good public transportation is a necessity and, in a way, a basic right,” Smith said. “People have things like jobs and medical treatments they have to get to.”
Micah Morrison lives and works downtown and mostly bikes and walks. He said he’d love to see more bike lanes and improved connection points throughout the county. He’s encouraged by the city’s efforts to expand public transportation.
“It’s neat seeing Chattanooga as a small city grow and try to learn from other metropolitan areas,” he said.
Maragnano also highlighted the new No. 3 Enterprise South bus route that is set to start Monday and will carry employees to the Hamilton County Department of Education, the Amazon Fulfillment Center and the Volkswagen assembly plant.
Two more public meetings will be held before the MTCS study concludes in October.
Contact staff writer Will Healey at whealey@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6731.