Many people interested in living in Chattanooga will be curious about Chattanooga Transportation Options such as bicycle and pedestrian accessibility.
This makes sense for a number of reasons. For starters, biking and walking access is a major economic driver. Specifically, studies have shown it raises property values as well as revenue for local business.
But more importantly, bike and pedestrian access make a place healthier, happier, and more livable. This is because it helps cut down on pollution, and gives people the option to ditch their cars and get some exercise on the way to work, shopping, and restaurants.
It’s no secret that major cities like Portland, Seattle, Austin, and Chicago realize this and have made sizable investments in biking and pedestrian infrastructure.
Another one is the relatively small town of Chattanooga, Tennessee. In fact, it has a lot of the same amenities the large metropolitan areas have. Here are some highlights:
Bike and Pedestrian Access in Chattanooga
Public Transportation:
Anyone who has lived in New York, visited Paris, etc. knows how convenient a good public transportation system is.
While it lacks a subway, Chattanooga Transportation Options do include the CARTA Bus, which offers a surprising number of routes granting car-free access to downtown and the surrounding areas.
You can learn more and see the CARTA bus routes on the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority website
Sidewalks Galore:
If you feel like “hoofing it” to the store or your favorite restaurant, you’re in luck. Being that Chattanooga is an older city, designed well before “urban sprawl” was a thing, the main city center offers a logical layout and plenty of sidewalks. Add in the Walnut Street Bridge and the Chattanooga Riverwalk, and you can easily go as far as your feet will take you.
Bike Share Program:
If you’ve tried Citi Bike in New York, or Divvy in Chicago, you’ve experienced how practical (and FUN) it can be to pick up a rental bike from a self-service kiosk where you are and drop it off at another kiosk near your destination.
Chattanooga Transportation Options also include the Chattanooga bike share program called Bike Chattanooga, and it offers bikes available for pickup at dozens of kiosks in the downtown area, as well as at both ends of the Chattanooga Riverwalk.
Chattanooga Bike Paths and Bike Lanes:
The Chattanooga Riverwalk, you’ll be happy to know, is also a bike path, which provides a relaxing, scenic, and easy pedal all the way from Moccasin Bend to the Tennessee Riverpark by the Chickamauga Dam.
The downtown and neighborhood areas are also very bike friendly. According to the City of Chattanooga’s Bicycle Implementation Plan, the city offers 151 miles of designated bike lanes and 23 miles of protected bike lanes, which place a physical barrier (such as a curb) between you and the cars.
Bike and Pedestrian Advocacy Organizations:
The final element necessary for a bike and pedestrian friendly city is strong local advocacy. Bike Walk Chattanooga is a local organization whose mission is to “…enhance the quality, safety, and accessibility of the Chattanooga area for walking, biking, and transit by promoting community, civic engagement, and public policy.”
In addition to that, Green Trips Chattanooga offers incentive programs for both individuals and businesses to use alternate forms of transportation.
Bike, Walk, Bus, or Drive…There’s No Wrong Answer:
As we’ve said many times, there’s a good reason Chattanooga twice won Outside Magazine’s “Best Town Ever” contest, while also earning accolades in Livability, Bicycling Magazine. The numerous transit options are icing on the cake!
And no matter which mode of transportation you use, you can trust Joe Leffew Properties to find you the perfect home.