The document summarizes public engagement efforts for the 2040 Regional Transportation Plan in Chattanooga, outlining key meetings and workshops held to gather input from various stakeholders. Key challenges identified include funding for transit, the need for better regional collaboration, and addressing environmental impacts. Strategies for improving transportation in the region include enhancing transit services, utilizing new technologies, and increasing regional cooperation to support economic vitality and quality of life.

1. 2040 RTP OUTCOMES SUMMARY: PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS
2040 Regional Transportation Plan Public Engagement Efforts
Chattanooga‐Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency (RPA)
Melissa Taylor, Director Strategic Long Range Planning
Project Lead
Office: 423.643.5944, Email: taylor_melissa@chattanooga.gov
Summary of Progress
In July 2012, the RPA on the behalf of the TPO, began seeking public input on the 2040 Regional
Transportation Plan (RTP) through a variety of meetings and workshops. To date, the RTP team has
hosted the following events:
Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Meeting #1, July 25th (38 participants)
Core Technical Team (CTT) Meeting #1, July 26th (29 participants)
Transit Aspirations Workshop, August 22nd (34 participants)
Leadership Symposium, August 23rd (85 participants)
Public Open House, August 23rd (32 participants)
Stakeholder Interviews with interest groups, August 23rd (6 participants)
Climate Adaptation and Transportation Resiliency Workshop, September 17th (15 participants)
The following summary reports represent a synthesis of the ideas, challenges, concerns, frustrations,
and interests expressed during each event. A separate summary of the Leadership Symposium activities
is also included.
To further facilitate interest in the process and to share plan progress, the RPA created a Plan webpage:
http://www.chcrpa.org/2040RTP.htm and Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/2040RTP. To
obtain more detailed public input, a questionnaire was distributed to the TPO TCC/Board meetings, at
public outreach events, and made available online (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2040RTP). The
questionnaire and public event notices were provided in Spanish. To date, we have received more than
320 responses. The questionnaire will close October 31st.

2. 2040 RTP OUTCOMES SUMMARY: PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS
COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CAC) & CORE TECHNICAL TEAM (CTT) MEETINGS
July 25 & 26, 2012, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM - Development Resource Center, Conference Room 3B
Challenges & Frustrations – Summary Report
38 CAC and 29 CTT members attended a presentation of the RTP process, and provided input on
transportation-related challenges and frustrations in the region.
TRANSIT
Local funding for transit ranks in the bottom 10% nationally.
Access to jobs via transit is limited.
Improvement in state and federal agency coordination is needed to better serve the disabled
and those living in rural areas (special transportation services).
Better utilization of the existing transit fleet is needed.
The benefits and impacts of transit need to be quantified.
AIRPORT
Increases in cargo freight volume and passenger travel at airport is creating a need for new and
upgraded infrastructure
PARKING
Parking is challenging in downtown Chattanooga and at UTC.
FUNDING, POLICY & PROCESS
A long-term approach to funding for operations and maintenance, transit, and the Chickamauga
Lock is needed.
The process of planning, funding, and constructing road infrastructure is slow and underfunded.
We need to communicate effectively with the public and public officials.
AUTO-CENTRICITY
The transportation system and the local mentality create a focus on moving people out of the
city rather than developing neighborhoods.
We cannot build ourselves out of congestion; we need to find other ways to maximize the
existing system.
Quality of life considerations of transportation projects need to play a role.
CONNECTIVITY AND ACCESS: PROBLEM AREAS
Transit in sprawling areas
UTC to downtown
Bicycle and pedestrian facilities
To major assets (national parks)- we need to determine how to maximize the use of our historic
sites while preserving for future generations
Schools are located away from housing and transportation facilities

3. 2040 RTP OUTCOMES SUMMARY: PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS
TRANSIT ASPIRATIONS WORKSHOP
August 22, 2012, 10:00 AM-2:00 PM – Ray Evans Transit Center
Summary Report
The RPA invited local partners with an interest in transit planning to participate in a half-day transit
aspirations workshop with the purpose of developing a consensus-based transit vision for the
Chattanooga region in 2040. 34 participants, including 10 representatives from RPA and consulting
team and 7 representatives from CARTA/SETHRA, gave input.
Where are we now with transit?
Transit service provision in the region has seen severe cuts, largely due to financial constraints.
Geography and topography add to the challenges for transit service and access to service.
Throughout much of the region current transit coverage is sparse.
The free downtown shuttle has proven to be an enduring success for twenty years. Tourists will
continue to expect transit and will provide a market for transit in the future.
The auto-centricity of recent commercial and industrial development has created congestion
and an increasing desire for alternative mobility options.
Where are we going? Trends, development and directions that will impact transit in the region
New employment opportunities and residential and commercial development will continue to
occur outside of the central city area and in areas largely not served by transit. Enterprise South
is one key area to connect by transit.
Increases in Chattanooga Airport passenger traffic will create demand for transit service there.
Demographic trends related to age groups present an opportunity for transit expansion: the
U.S. population is aging and will increasingly require transit. At the same time, younger people
are driving less and looking for alternatives to automobile-based mobility.
Vision for Transit in Chattanooga in 2040
The Chattanooga Region will capitalize on 20 years of successful innovative electric shuttle bus
technology to provide efficient transit service for more people to more places, stimulating economic
development and revitalizing our region.
How do we get there? Strategies to achieve the vision:
Engage employers and business partners as part of the process as this is considered a primary
funding opportunity for the future.
Include further diversity as part of the process, especially actual transit users.
Access to transit service for the aging, young, poor, and disabled must be a priority.
Post-workshop survey results suggest the following prioritization of strategies:
o Most Important: Embrace new technologies for vehicles and information
o More important: (1) Improve bus operating speeds with exclusive bus lanes and new
technologies; (2) Expand to new areas with new routes
o Somewhat Important: Expand hours and frequency of service on existing routes

4. 2040 RTP OUTCOMES SUMMARY: PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS
LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM
August 23, 2012, 8:15 AM-12:00 PM – The Chattanoogan Hotel, Ballroom 1 & 2
Summary Comments
89 Attendees, including 13 representatives from the RPA and consulting team, gave feedback on
planning themes and mapped their visions for transportation projects in the region, including bus transit,
rapid transit, road widening, new roads, multi-use paths, and multimodal street improvements.
MOBILITY & CONNECTIVITY
Sprawling growth patterns are the most challenging development patterns for our communities.
Additionally, mountains and rivers present topographical challenges to development.
Most participants believe there is or should be an appetite for managing access along critical
corridors.
The majority expressed that multimodal investments are more vital for urban areas and expected
growth areas than in suburban and rural areas.
ENVIRONMENT GREENPRINT
Rivers, mountains, parks, trails, and farmland are the most valuable environmental features and
green spaces of the region.
Protective zoning, including buffers between developments, are needed to protect green spaces.
The region lacks a vision for green space, but this regional vision/master plan is needed. A local
government, regional entity, or the Trust for Public Land should spearhead this effort.
Participants were most supportive of transit, bicycle and pedestrian improvements, and emissions
testing as mechanisms for improving air quality.
REGIONAL COLLABORATION
Participants agreed that collaboration across jurisdictions needs improvement.
Transportation issues- transit in particular- and economic issues would both benefit from greater
regional collaboration.
The 2040 RTP can serve as a model for regional collaboration and help integrate planning efforts,
such as Thrive 2055.
ECONOMIC VITALITY
Transit, walking, biking, and the airport are the greatest transportation priorities that will ensure the
region is well positioned to be competitive coming out of the recession.
Transportation should contribute to quality of life and should offer multimodal options.
In order for the region to be successful, transportation policy should embrace complete streets.

5. 2040 RTP OUTCOMES SUMMARY: PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS
STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS
August 24, 2012 – Development Resource Center
Summary Comments
QUALITY OF LIFE INTERVIEW
4 interviewees representing Lyndhurst Foundation, Great Eastern Trail, Cumberland Trail
What are the regional issues that could be addressed through transportation?
Multimodal transportation: more facilities, better connections, improved access, greenways
Improved parking
Stable funding for transportation
What would help improve the region’s quality of life?
A punctual, robust transit system and a culture of transit as a commuting choice
Additional east-west connections
Improving and promoting dense urban centers as places to live
Protecting ridgelines and viewsheds
How could we change or enhance our policy measures?
More appreciation of floodplain preservation through non-motorized travel
More use could be made of preserving green infrastructure
What are your top projects?
Greenways: N Chickamauga Trail; Completed greenway master plan
Bicycle Facilities: A network of “low-stress” bike routes and separated bike facilities - most
roads in the region not currently suitable for bikes
DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC VITALITY INTERVIEW
2 attendees, representing National Parks Service and McKee Foods, were asked about the role of
transportation in the economic vitality of the region.
How important is transportation to economic vitality?
McKee Perspective:
Highway access and travel times are very important elements of transportation that impact
economic development. McKee does not rely on rail due to excessive vibration of products.
There’s some concern about the increase in freight traffic through the region as a result in
changes to Panama Canal and increased volume of Atlantic maritime ports. We cannot have a
bottleneck through Chattanooga; a bypass east of Chattanooga should be a priority.
Completing Corridor K is considered very important to the economic vitality of the region.
Parks Service Perspective:
The major corridors are clogged with commuters coming from far outside the region. This is
impacting the accessibility of the local towns to tourists. This is important because there aren’t
overnight accommodations at the surrounding parks. Visitors need good access to easy
wayfinding, and wayfinding is an issue in the region. A coordinated strategy between states and
cities as well as between towns and parks is recommended.
Rossville Blvd is dilapidated, but it could be an enhanced corridor that supports local access.

6. 2040 RTP OUTCOMES SUMMARY: PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS
CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND TRANSPORTATION RESILIENCY WORKSHOP
September 17, 2012, 8:15 AM-3:00 PM – Development Resource Center, Room 1A
Summary Comments
The 18 attendees of the climate change adaptation workshop identified through a series of activities
critical and vulnerable transportation assets as well as climate adaptation strategies to address the
potential impacts.
ASSETS
The following five transportation assets are both critical to the region and vulnerable to climate change
impacts, such as changing precipitation and increasing temperatures:
Chickamauga Lock and Dam,
Chattanooga Airport and SR 153 access,
Interchange of I-75/I-24,
Enterprise South road and rail access, and
Downtown bridges.
IMPACTS
The attendees identified a number of specific impacts that are likely to occur in the Chattanooga region
if precipitation and temperature patterns change. These included flooding, erosion, road closures,
landslides and other earthwork failures, pavement cracking and rutting, bridge expansion, and airport
take and landing issues, among many others.
CLIMATE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES
The attendees identified a number of climate adaptation strategies to address the impacts. Some
examples include planning transportation infrastructure to avoid flood zones, establishing emergency
detour routes, hardening/stabilizing slopes, using different types of pavement, and increasing
maintenance of culverts, among many others.