A reduced speed limit and a new, temporary weekend traffic pattern for Frazier Ave will slow traffic and provide insight for long-term redesign of a critical Northshore route.
The Kelly Administration, City Council Vice Chair Jenny Hill, and the Northshore Merchants Collective announced today that a new, temporary traffic calming demonstration project on Frazier Avenue will be in effect for the remaining weekends in December, beginning on December 9. Roadway demonstration projects are low-cost, short-term, temporary projects used to pilot long-term design solutions to improve the safety of roads for all users. The Kelly Administration is also instituting a new, permanent 25 mph speed limit on Frazier Avenue. The city will place speed monitoring radar poles to deter speeding in the area and will increase police enforcement in the neighborhood.
Beginning December 9, Chattanooga Public Works will set up traffic barrels to establish a weekend traffic pattern for Saturdays and Sundays throughout the balance of December. The traffic barrels will be removed for weekdays. The temporary traffic pattern will give city engineers the ability to collect data to inform a permanent reconfiguration of Frazier Avenue, in line with previous reconfigurations on Central, Bailey and McCallie avenues.
“Local government should be responsive to the concerns of its residents and effective in its response to the challenges in our community,” said Mayor Tim Kelly. “This tactical intervention, accompanied by enforcement, will allow us to improve conditions on Frazier Ave on the remaining holiday weekends when pedestrian and cyclist traffic is at its peak and to analyze the effectiveness of an alternate design without impacting workday traffic patterns. This collaboration between my team, Vice Chair Hill, and the Northshore Merchants will help us quickly get to the best possible long-term solution.”
“Residents have spoken loud and clear about their concerns. This immediate action will slow cars down and make Frazier safer,” said Chattanooga City Council Vice Chairwoman Jenny Hill.“Moving forward, we will focus on learning what solutions best meet all stakeholder needs so we can develop and implement a permanent solution. As a resident of and representative for the Northshore community, I’m committed to ensuring a safe and vibrant Frazier for residents, business owners, and visitors to this unique Chattanooga neighborhood.”
“We’re in agreement with the plan put forward by Mayor Kelly’s team and Vice Chairwoman Hill, and we want to be a part of the process of making our neighborhood a safer place for everyone,” said Northshore Merchants Collective President Catharine Daniels. “This neighborhood is one that everyone loves. We love it as residents and merchants, and we want folks to continue to come here and enjoy it. We appreciate the council and the mayor for the action they are taking and for including us in the conversation.”
The images below are draft representations of what the temporary weekend pattern will look like. Areas delineated in black below will be configured by traffic barrels.
More on The Kelly Administration’s work to improve public safety:
The Kelly Administration uses a combination of tactical interventions, enforcement, and design to make streets safer for all users and is reversing the historical trend of infrastructure disinvestment that has led to uneven surfaces and poor road conditions in areas throughout Chattanooga. By doubling budgeted funding for road paving and repairs from $5 million annually to $10 million annually, the city has repaired more than 50,000 potholes, cracks, and divots and paved more than 200 lane miles of road.
Projects like the reconfiguration of Central Ave. that is underway right now are specifically designed to calm traffic and to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. The administration conducted similar reconfiguration projects on Bailey Avenue and McCallie Avenue. Other projects in the same vein are in queue. CDOT has put down 575 miles of new thermal lines and markings this year alone to make crosswalks more visible to drivers and safer for pedestrians. More than 100 new ADA ramps will have been installed by the end of the year.
