Bike Chattanooga grows along with area's cycling scene

Over 55,000 trips were taken in year four on Bike Chattanooga, which serves over 25,000 people a year.

The bike share program in Chattanooga is reaching farther into neighborhoods with several new stations that will enable more residents to participate in the program.

Local area cyclists can be happy knowing their city is dedicated to the expansion and development of a cycling scene.

The bike share program here in Chattanooga is growing with four new stations from St. Elmo to the North Shore along the Tennessee Riverwalk. The city is looking to expand the program to make it more accessible for residents, which is great news for local cyclists.

"There's been an 80 percent increase in trips by members of the program," says Ben Taylor, an assistant transportation engineer with the city. "We're working every day getting more members set up."

The new stations should be set up by the fall.

The bike share program in Chattanooga started roughly four years ago. While it's been the darling of tourists and visitors, getting locals involved in the program has been a slower process. Chattanooga's Department of Transportation has built over 25 miles of bike lanes in the last year, and Taylor expects the new bike share stations will make cycling in the city more accessible than ever.

"We're really providing bikes as a transportation option where folks ride the most," says Taylor. "We're just looking to support resident access to city center services."