The Chattanooga Planning Department and Department of Public Works presented its preferred option and an alternative for a permanent traffic reconfiguration on Frazier Avenue Thursday. The city is now welcoming public input on the prepared options at cha.city/frazier. The public comment period will end on March 15.
A leader of the Frazier Avenue business group said the owners want raised pavements at three intersections to help curb speeds on the busy North Chattanooga thoroughfare.
Jessica Mines Dumitru, owner of the Art Creations store at the corner of Frazier and Forest Avenue, earlier said the business owners want raised pavements at three intersections to help curb speeds on the busy North Chattanooga thoroughfare.where there was a deadly wreck last Nov. 25. Two members of a Florida family were killed and another was severely injured when a car involved in a road rage incident spun up on the sidewalk and into her building.
Ms. Dumitru earlier said the business group voted by 90 percent not in favor of cutting lanes in each direction from two lanes to one as the city has been contemplating doing since the wreck.
City officials said Option A, the city’s preferred option, "increases pedestrian safety and access to parking while providing a safe and scenic bike route on River Street, allowing cyclists to travel through Coolidge Park. Option B also increases pedestrian safety and improves bicycle conditions with a dedicated two-way bike lane on Frazier Avenue, but with a reduction to on-street parking."
At the end of the public input period, the city will unveil a final reconfiguration plan on March 29.
Mayor Tim Kelly said, “Doing nothing on Frazier Avenue has never been an option. It has become abundantly clear that a change to the traffic pattern on this critical street was in the best interest of public safety and the health of our small businesses in North Chattanooga.
“Thank you to our experts in Planning and Public Works, Vice Chairwoman Jenny Hill, and our partners at the Northshore Merchants Collective for working with us on data-driven, people-oriented proposals that would directly address the concerns on this street.”
Vice Chairwoman Hill said, “Chattanoogans love Frazier Avenue, and whether people live adjacent to the area or visit Coolidge Park from other neighborhoods, everyone agrees that they want to feel safe as they move about the area. With the necessary safety measures in place, Frazier Avenue can become an example for the whole city of how Chattanooga can implement common sense multimodal transportation infrastructure.
“I want to thank the neighborhood associations and community members who put this issue at the forefront with public safety and pedestrian mobility top-of-mind. I would also like to thank the Planning Department, Department of Public Works, and the administration for working diligently on a set of proposals that directly address those safety concerns.”
City officials said:
Preferred Option (Option A): Increased protection for pedestrians, increased parking, and a park-focused bike route.
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Adds buffer zones to Frazier Avenue to support pedestrians and street art.
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Increases on-street parking options on both sides of Frazier Avenue from 27 to 35 spaces.
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Adds marked route to River Street, allowing cyclists to detour through Coolidge and Renaissance Parks.
Alternative Option (Option B:) Reduced parking and a two-way protected bike lane on Frazier Avenue.
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Moves parking options to the north side of Frazier Avenue and reduces options from 27 to 19 spaces.
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Provides protected bike lane on the south side of Frazier Avenue
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Provides buffers to protect pedestrians and provide an opportunity for street art.
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Adds marked route to River Street, allowing cyclists to detour through Coolidge and Renaissance Parks.