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Results of Velocity 2040 study to be released Thursday as Chattanooga groups plan to address next steps toward smarter, more diverse future

Miller Park is seen in the foreground as the Read House and Waterhouse Pavilion dominate the city skyline. Rain coats the sidewalks and streets of downtown Chattanooga on January 29, 2018. The tri-state had expected snow, but the few flakes made no impact on travel. Miller Park is seen in the foreground as the Read House and Waterhouse Pavilion dominate the city skyline. Rain coats the sidewalks and streets of downtown Chattanooga on January 29, 2018. The tri-state had expected snow, but the few flakes made no impact on travel.

By Dave Flessner February 6, 2019 8 min read

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Velocity 2040 study

Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, is seen in the foreground as the Electric Power Board Building, Read House and Waterhouse Pavilion dominate the city skyline. Rain coats the sidewalks and streets of downtown Chattanooga on January 29, 2018. The tri-state had expected snow, but the few flakes made no impact on travel.

Miller Park is dominates the foreground in this early morning view of the Chattanooga skyline. Landmarks such as the Joel W. Solomon Federal Building, Park Plaza, the TVA Building, Lookout Mountain, the Public Library and the Electric Power Board Building are seen in the background. Rain coats the sidewalks and streets of downtown Chattanooga on January 29, 2018. The tri-state had expected snow, but the few flakes made no impact on travel.

Christy Gillenwater, President and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, presents the Velocity 2040 survey results to the editorial board of the Times Free Press on Friday, Jan 25, 2019.

Community goals

From among the 4,816 responses from a cross-section of Hamilton County residents, the top identified objectives for Chattanooga by 2040 are:* Education: Educational excellence for all students* Jobs: Every resident thrives economically* Transportation: 20 minutes or less is our transit standard* Diversity: Diverse leaders represent the full spectrum of who we are* Collaboration: A collaborative process for solving challenges with openness and respectSource: Velocity 2040 survey of 4,816 Hamilton County residents identifying their major community goals for the future.

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Immediate prioritiesRespondents rated education and workforce needs the highest. Asked what three things should we do first, the top priorities are:1. Make sure students have what they want to learn (1,682 respondents)2. Train the workforce in the skills they need for good jobs (1,523 respondents)3. Make sure everyone in the community has a chance to earn enough money to live (11,425 respondents)4. Create career paths and job opportunities for less advantaged people (1,265 respondents)5. Improve roads, sidewalks and bridges to meet the needs of the community (1,206 respondents)Source: Velocity 2040 survey responses from 4,816 Hamilton County residents

What will Chattanooga be like in another 20 years?

If current trends continue, a new survey of thousands of area residents suggests many fear that racial equity gaps will widen, housing prices will continue to increase and traffic congestion will worsen.

“If we watch and wait we’ll lack vision to make large investments and eventually headlines will ask, “What happened to Chattanooga?” a new study of the city’s future suggests.