Page 6 - Nov/Dec Vol34 No5
P. 6

CHATTANOOGA                                                                                By Ben Nemec, P.E.

South Chickamauga Creek
Transformation

  On April 9, local officials and key stake-   mauga Creek by providing accessibil-        raised approximately $2.6 million through
holders opened the newest one-mile route       ity for recreation-oriented activities. It  partnerships to make the latest section,
connecting South Chickamauga Creek             proposed a linkage from the Tennessee       Riverwalk Connector, possible.
Greenway to Chattanooga’s famed Tennes-        River Park to Camp Jordan Park in East
see Riverwalk. The celebration included a      Ridge. Currently, 9 miles of the proposed     The Riverwalk Connector is a 1-mile
5K run and paddling trip for attendees to      12-mile greenway master plan has been       section which opened to the public in
enjoy. This opening provides the 30,000        implemented. Completed sections include     April. Now users of the Tennessee River-
residents that live within a 10-minute         the Brainerd Levee Segment, Sterchi Farm    walk have access to the more rustic South
walk an opportunity to experience all          Segment and Riverwalk Connector, the        Chickamauga Greenway. This section
types of recreation and enjoy the simple       newest section.                             provided a critical connection between
sounds of nature so close to home.                                                         the 14-mile Tennessee River Park and the
                                                 The City of Chattanooga and the Trust     existing 2.6-mile Sterchi Farm section
  The long-term vision for greenways in        for Public Land, with assistance from       of the South Chickamauga Trail. A key
Chattanooga was to create a linear park        Barge, Waggoner, Sumner and Cannon,         construction component for this section
system that would link sites throughout        Inc., have participated in shaping the      was the 190-foot bridge span, which was
the city with trails and greenways that        South Chickamauga Creek Greenway            delivered and set in place from a barge as
would be safe and accessible. The South        through multiple phases of work over        shown below.
Chickamauga Creek is a great example           the last 20 years. The Trust for Public
of this vision. It caters to walkers, bikers,  Land has assumed the leadership role to       As the users travel along the cur-
runners, and paddlers, and as a result,        support the City in making the final con-   rent greenway, they encounter canoe
the trail has developed into a popular         nections of the greenway system a reality.  launches, two pedestrian bridges, three
destination for leisure and alternative        Since 1994, the organization has worked     railroad underpass crossings, and a series
transportation.                                with the City of Chattanooga, acquir-       of elevated boardwalks to traverse the
                                               ing land and easements to create a large    difficult topography and environmen-
  The master plan for the greenway was         system of parks and greenways for the       tal sensitive areas. The site is not only
developed in May 1996 for the intent of        public to enjoy. The Trust for Public Land  steeply sloped along the creek, but also
improving the resource of South Chicka-                                                    crosses low-lying, marshy floodplain. In

                                                                                           The Bridge: General Contractor, Wright Bros. Inc.,
                                                                                           installed the 190-foot bridge from barge due to
                                                                                           limited site access. Photo credit: TPL

6	 TPW November/December 2016
   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11