The city transportation department is considering major changes to Riverfront Parkway in the section between Lookout Street and its convergence with Third and Fourth streets near Citizens Cemetery. The change would convert it more to a boulevard rather than a throughway, while seeking to take off some of the traffic load with new connections.
There would be not one new connection with the parkway from near Erlanger Hospital, but three as part of the total $15 million project.
The City Council on Tuesday will consider a resolution calling for a $2,234,132 study that will yield construction documents that are ready to go out to bid for the makeover.
The city's portion would be $446,826 with the remainder coming from a state transportation grant.
The study is to be conducted by Parsons Brinckerhoff, a multi-national engineering and design firm based in New York City.
A map of the project shows a roundabout at the convergence of the parkway with Third and Fourth streets. That would replace the current Third Street bridge over an entryway to the parkway from Fourth Street.
The map says planners are considering at-grade intersections with the parkway at Mabel Street and at Georgia Avenue. That would replace current bridges at those intersections. The map says "further study is needed" on that idea. Mabel Street is at the foot of Battery Place and is currently reached from Fourth Street by going under a parkway bridge or an off ramp from the parkway. Third Street goes under a parkway bridge at Georgia Avenue near the Veterans Bridge.
The map shows the planned Central Avenue Extension that reaches the parkway near the Boathouse Restaurant. It goes on the west side of Lincoln Park and crosses Citico Creek before reaching the parkway.
There would be new connections to the parkway from two streets that now almost reach it, but not quite. One would be the section of Siskin Drive that is just west of the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences. The second would be at the end of Siskin Drive near the former St. Barnabas Nursing Home.
The plan shows converting Houston and Lindsay streets near the parkway to two-way. Houston now runs north and Lindsay runs south.
For the parkway section near Lookout Street and the Bluff View Art District, the plan would "extend the boulevard treatment with on-street parking and development opportunities within the row of way limits."
The University Greenway would be extended from the UTC campus beyond Third Street to the riverwalk.
City Transportation Director Blythe Bailey said, "The City Department of Transportation is initiating engineering for construction of grant-funded improvements to 3rd and 4th Streets, including Riverfront Parkway, and surrounding infrastructure from Lindsay Street on the west to Hampton Street on the east. The project, which has been included on long-range transportation plans since as far back as 2000, proposes complementary improvements to 4th street, 3rd Street, and Riverfront Parkway, including new and improved intersections to improve safety, circulation, traffic, and multi-modal access.
“The project was identified on multiple long-term plans because of its potential for improving safety, access for all users, and creating better connections in and around neighborhoods. This work allows us to pursue construction on these long-awaited plans.
”The project proposes new intersections with Riverfront Parkway, similar to those that were constructed in 2005 at 2nd Street (now Aquarium Way), Lookout, Lindsay, and Houston. These new intersections improve the city street grid by providing better navigability with more routes into and out of the neighborhoods east of downtown. Through improved navigability, such as providing more options for moving around in the city, the project will improve traffic flow and safety – for all modes, walkers, bikers, drivers, and transit-users. The project will improve access for eastside urban neighborhoods as well as the major institutions in the area, such as CSAS, Siskin, Erlanger, and UTC.
"Improved traffic circulation provides better direct access to the new improvements along Highway 27, phase I being recently completed by the TDOT.
"Since the project is identified in the long-range transportation plan, 80 percent of the total project cost is funded by non-local grants."
Melissa Taylor, director of Strategic Long-Range Planning, said, “This is a great use of local funding, leveraging good long-range transportation planning and outside grant dollars to get safer streets and fulfill long range planning vision.
Mr. Bailey added, “Because of the grants made available through the planning process, the local community benefits from an immediate 4:1 return on our investment.”
He said the preliminary concept map as well as project descriptions from the plan indicate lane/intersection improvements, roundabouts, and multi-modal facility improvements on 3rd/4th St/Riverfront Parkway from Lindsey Street to Hampton Street. Preliminary considerations include a major city roundabout at the convergence of Riverfront Parkway with Third and Fourth streets.
"The map also includes surrounding context, including nearby projects such as Central Avenue, and existing green spaces, such as the Riverwalk, Lincoln Park, cemeteries, and athletic fields. Additional preliminary considerations shown in the concept map include extension of the University Greenway and one- to two-way conversion of Houston and Lindsay for from 3rd/4th Street to Riverfront Parkway."
Mr. Bailey said, "The project is a great example of the city’s strategy to fully consider surrounding neighborhood context, including the existing street grid and safety for all modes, such as walking, biking, transit-use, and driving, as well as other city resources, such as rivers, streams, and public spaces.”