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STATEWIDE By Leila Donn, Tennessee Office of Sustainable Practices
Sustainable Transportation Awards
The Tennessee Sustainable Transpor- ning, the Department of Transportation percent annually. Several of the walkways
tation Awards recognized outstanding was able to replace the bridge without any are surfaced with pervious pavers beneath
initiatives within the State of Tennessee to damage to the natural environment while which there are detention ponds 6 to 36
reduce transportation-related energy and providing a convenient and reliable cross- inches in depth. In addition to walkway
emissions, in line with an overarching ef- ing of the Clinch River. expansion, the city has added 9 miles of
fort to save natural resources, improve the new multi-use trail over the last three
health and well-being of Tennesseans, and Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation years, taking their total trail mileage to 14
create efficiencies in the delivery of goods Authority - Bike Chattanooga Public miles. Trails are open to walkers, horseback
and services. The awards are part of a joint Bicycle Transit System riders, and bikers. Athens is in the process
program managed by the Tennessee De- of developing a mobile-friendly trail map
partment of Conservation and the Tennes- The Bike Chattanooga 33-station, program to increase trail system accessibil-
see Department of Transportation. A panel 300-bicycle transit system enables users ity and provide mileage information. Ad-
of judges selected the following entities as to conveniently access downtown Chatta- ditionally, Athens repairs their roads with
the 2016 winners of the Tennessee Sustain- nooga and is the first large-scale bike share a method that is more environmentally
able Transportation Awards. program in a mid-sized city, enhancing friendly than traditional methods – the
Tennessee Department of Transportation - mobility and accessibility for the com- Liquid Road paving method is calculated to
Kyles Ford Bridge Replacement munity. The system footprint makes trips save over 97,000 pounds of carbon dioxide
possible in the central business district, the for every four-lane mile treated. The city
The Edward R. Talley Bridge on State North Shore and Southside neighborhoods, treated 8 miles of road last year.
Route 70 over the Clinch River was built the University of Tennessee at Chatta- Vanderbilt University - Alternative
in 1928 and by 2014 had become structur- nooga, and the Tennessee Riverpark. Web Transportation Program
ally deficient and functionally obsolete. and mobile applications provide real-time
The recent bridge replacement had to be information and make it easy for users to Vanderbilt University offers many
carefully planned and executed. First, the determine the availability of nearby sta- alternative transportation options to its
bridge spans an environmentally protected tions, bicycles, docking points, and local 36,781 students, staff, and faculty, including
part of the river. The shoal area near the points of interest. The bike share program bus, rail, biking, carpooling, and shuttles.
bridge crossing is a mussel sanctuary with contributes to reduced traffic congestion, Vanderbilt makes taking the bus easy by
20 federally listed species of mussels and reduced use of fossil fuels, and reduced fully subsidizing the commuting cost for
two federally listed fish species. To avoid pressure on downtown parking. In 2015, all employees and graduate, professional,
adverse impacts to the river habitat, the Bike Chattanooga members completed and medical students. They also pay for
bridge needed to be replaced without over 163,000 trips traveling over 500,000 60 percent of the cost to ride the Music
touching the water. Second, the bridge is miles and burning more than 20 million City Star commuter train. The University
located in Hancock County, which has one calories. In addition to the health and provides carpool opportunities through a
of the highest unemployment rates in the mobility benefits, the potential exists for a ride match system available to anyone with
state, and many residents used this bridge decrease in over 300,000 pounds of carbon a Vanderbilt email address. The University
to commute to other towns for work. Had dioxide emissions. also coordinates an on-campus shuttle ser-
the Talley Bridge been closed for repairs, vice, as well as several off-campus shuttles
excessive detour times to the other river City of Athens - Green Ways Initiative that provide transportation to supermar-
crossing and the associated increase in Athens began their Green Ways Initiative kets, shopping centers, and the airport, all
fuel costs would have made it impossible at no-to-low cost to students. Additionally,
for some workers to continue their jobs in in 2013, developed to provide environmen- Vanderbilt has a robust bike infrastructure
other towns. Through coordination with tally friendly methods of advancing com- with abundant bike racks around the cam-
various resource agencies and careful plan- muting infrastructure. Since the start of the pus, semester and year-long bike rentals,
program, Athens has increased the total
city sidewalk and walkway length by two
TDOT Chattanooga Athens
14 TPW July/August 2016
Sustainable Transportation Awards
The Tennessee Sustainable Transpor- ning, the Department of Transportation percent annually. Several of the walkways
tation Awards recognized outstanding was able to replace the bridge without any are surfaced with pervious pavers beneath
initiatives within the State of Tennessee to damage to the natural environment while which there are detention ponds 6 to 36
reduce transportation-related energy and providing a convenient and reliable cross- inches in depth. In addition to walkway
emissions, in line with an overarching ef- ing of the Clinch River. expansion, the city has added 9 miles of
fort to save natural resources, improve the new multi-use trail over the last three
health and well-being of Tennesseans, and Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation years, taking their total trail mileage to 14
create efficiencies in the delivery of goods Authority - Bike Chattanooga Public miles. Trails are open to walkers, horseback
and services. The awards are part of a joint Bicycle Transit System riders, and bikers. Athens is in the process
program managed by the Tennessee De- of developing a mobile-friendly trail map
partment of Conservation and the Tennes- The Bike Chattanooga 33-station, program to increase trail system accessibil-
see Department of Transportation. A panel 300-bicycle transit system enables users ity and provide mileage information. Ad-
of judges selected the following entities as to conveniently access downtown Chatta- ditionally, Athens repairs their roads with
the 2016 winners of the Tennessee Sustain- nooga and is the first large-scale bike share a method that is more environmentally
able Transportation Awards. program in a mid-sized city, enhancing friendly than traditional methods – the
Tennessee Department of Transportation - mobility and accessibility for the com- Liquid Road paving method is calculated to
Kyles Ford Bridge Replacement munity. The system footprint makes trips save over 97,000 pounds of carbon dioxide
possible in the central business district, the for every four-lane mile treated. The city
The Edward R. Talley Bridge on State North Shore and Southside neighborhoods, treated 8 miles of road last year.
Route 70 over the Clinch River was built the University of Tennessee at Chatta- Vanderbilt University - Alternative
in 1928 and by 2014 had become structur- nooga, and the Tennessee Riverpark. Web Transportation Program
ally deficient and functionally obsolete. and mobile applications provide real-time
The recent bridge replacement had to be information and make it easy for users to Vanderbilt University offers many
carefully planned and executed. First, the determine the availability of nearby sta- alternative transportation options to its
bridge spans an environmentally protected tions, bicycles, docking points, and local 36,781 students, staff, and faculty, including
part of the river. The shoal area near the points of interest. The bike share program bus, rail, biking, carpooling, and shuttles.
bridge crossing is a mussel sanctuary with contributes to reduced traffic congestion, Vanderbilt makes taking the bus easy by
20 federally listed species of mussels and reduced use of fossil fuels, and reduced fully subsidizing the commuting cost for
two federally listed fish species. To avoid pressure on downtown parking. In 2015, all employees and graduate, professional,
adverse impacts to the river habitat, the Bike Chattanooga members completed and medical students. They also pay for
bridge needed to be replaced without over 163,000 trips traveling over 500,000 60 percent of the cost to ride the Music
touching the water. Second, the bridge is miles and burning more than 20 million City Star commuter train. The University
located in Hancock County, which has one calories. In addition to the health and provides carpool opportunities through a
of the highest unemployment rates in the mobility benefits, the potential exists for a ride match system available to anyone with
state, and many residents used this bridge decrease in over 300,000 pounds of carbon a Vanderbilt email address. The University
to commute to other towns for work. Had dioxide emissions. also coordinates an on-campus shuttle ser-
the Talley Bridge been closed for repairs, vice, as well as several off-campus shuttles
excessive detour times to the other river City of Athens - Green Ways Initiative that provide transportation to supermar-
crossing and the associated increase in Athens began their Green Ways Initiative kets, shopping centers, and the airport, all
fuel costs would have made it impossible at no-to-low cost to students. Additionally,
for some workers to continue their jobs in in 2013, developed to provide environmen- Vanderbilt has a robust bike infrastructure
other towns. Through coordination with tally friendly methods of advancing com- with abundant bike racks around the cam-
various resource agencies and careful plan- muting infrastructure. Since the start of the pus, semester and year-long bike rentals,
program, Athens has increased the total
city sidewalk and walkway length by two
TDOT Chattanooga Athens
14 TPW July/August 2016
