Chattanooga-area cyclists discussed their biking experiences in the city at a Friday morning event at Miller Park commemorating National Bike to Work Day.
The event, sponsored by Outdoor Chattanooga, Bike Walk Chattanooga and the Regional Planning Agency, aimed to "promote sustainable transportation alternatives, reduce traffic congestion and encourage healthier lifestyles among residents," according to a news release from Outdoor Chattanooga.
Vendors—both informational and commercial—set up tables at Miller Park to talk about biking in the city and serve up breakfast and coffee to cyclists, some of whom came to the park from group rides that started in other neighborhoods like Highland Park and St. Elmo.
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Some cyclists were already avid bike riders for recreation, but the holiday and event gave them a reason to give bike commuting a chance. Others said they relied on their bikes to regularly get around the city, including getting to work.
Caroline Daigle, a city planner with the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency, commutes from her home in Highland Park to her office on Market Street about twice a week depending on weather. Biking to work has several benefits she enjoys, she said.
"It doesn't take that much longer than it would to drive my car," Daigle said. "It's a way to get my heart rate up, get some exercise kind of built into my day."
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For several cyclists, a major deterrent to riding in Chattanooga is safety. They said a significant danger is drivers not paying attention on the roads and making turns or lane changes with little to no regard for people in bike lanes. There were more than 30 collisions between cars and pedestrians or cyclists reported to police in the first three months of 2023.
Additionally, cyclists said that while Chattanooga is a bike-friendly city, they would like to see more supportive infrastructure like an increased number of bike lanes and bike racks as well as greater safety measures overall to protect cyclists and pedestrians.
Bert Kuyrkendall is a planner and engineer who sits on the board of Bike Walk Tennessee, an advocacy group that focuses on making streets safer for all modes of transportation, including walking and biking. Improving the city's bike infrastructure means closing the gaps in the current system, he said.
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The city has great greenways, but there are many gaps as well, he said. That makes it difficult for people to bike to work because they might be able to get halfway there on a safe route, but then they're forced onto a busy street, he said.
The busy streets are not safe or attractive for riding, he said.
Ben Taylor, deputy administrator for transportation for the city of Chattanooga, said development on the city's streets includes infrastructure for all modes of transportation, including cyclists, when there is space available to do so. More people using existing bike infrastructure encourages the city to develop further infrastructure, he said.
"The city puts in a lot of facilities. There's always push to put in more facilities, but we want to see those facilities utilized," Taylor said. "We have bike lanes on major corridors ... we would very much like to see those heavily utilized, and that will encourage us to build out more."
Contact Sam Still at sstill@timesfreepress.com.