What’s bussin’? The Chatt en Route transit stop design challenge.

🚏What is Chatt en Route?

In 2019, the Chattanooga Design Studio created a public growth action plan with a survey that resulted in the discovery that bus stops are some of the most vibrantly active places in Chattanooga’s innovation district.

This finding eventually resulted in Chatt en Route, a project that reimagines local transit stops — aka, piloting, testing, and refining a way to recreate transit stops.

Other aspects of the project include the Patten Porch Project + the installation of new Market Street bus stop seating.

🚏The presentation

Yesterday, a presentation took place to share 2 design concepts for transit stops + allow community members to provide input and ask questions.

The 2 designs are created to be modular, so they can be configured to work in various conditions and areas.

🚏The designs

Design 1

Stop locations: Warner Avenue between Holtzclaw + the McCallie bridge; UTC Greenway between UTC + Yellow Deli

Rendering + layout of the first group's design at Warner Park. | Photo provided by Chattanooga Design Studio

Key designs elements

A bus stop that is part of the sidewalk + claims space
Movable ✖️ and ➕ shaped seating that allows transit users to sit as close to people as desired
Canopies featuring a steel roof plane fit for solar panels + vertical fins that diffuse the sun and shed water
Option for electronic charging stations along the steel “trunks” of the shelters
Traveling art projects that could move along transit stops

Design 2

Stop locations: St. Elmo Food City stop on top of the hill; Parkridge Hospital stop on McCallie Avenue

Renderings + layout of the second group's design at Food City | Photo provided by Chattanooga Design Studio

Key design elements

Wifi + charging stations
Spaces for multi-modal transportation (ie., bikes)
Incorporating native or seasonal vegetation
Kaleidoscope artwork by local artist Richard Foster
Folding benches + mounted, bar-style surfaces to create more space
Pedestrian safety measures (HAWK signals, speed tables, etc.)

🚏What’s next?

The goal is to eventually pilot a transit stop design at one of the locations. Currently, you can learn more, share feedback, and continue checking in on the project at Chatt en Route’s website.

Poll

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