For Immediate
Release
Tuesday, December 19,
2006
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Receives
2007 National Planning
Excellence Award For Implementing Regional Bicycle
Effort
Chattanooga, Tenn.
–Changing people’s
minds about the practicality and convenience of using a bicycle
instead of car to drive to work, complete an errand, or go on a
nearby outing is neither simple nor easy. Yet, the idea of using a
bicycle to get around town is not only gaining popularity in
Chattanooga, Tennessee, but also national
attention.
The American
Planning Association (APA) has selected Chattanooga as recipient of
APA’s 2007 National Planning Excellence Award for
Implementation. The city completed a comprehensive bicycle plan in
1980, but efforts to act on the plan did not gain speed until 2001
when the city’s Bicycle Task Force developed a list of
specific goals including expanding the number of miles of bicycle
lanes and signed routes in the
region.
Media are encouraged to attend a special
announcement concerning the above award. Meet at the south
end of the Walnut Street bridge at 10:30am this morning, December
19, 2006.
“Chattanooga
has shown a deep commitment to realize the goals and vision of its
ambitious bicycle plan,” said Carol Rhea, AICP, chair of the
APA Awards Committee. “Already they are approaching the 200
mile mark in terms of the amount of new, existing, or previously
planned routes, lanes, or multi-use paths for
bicyclists,”Rhea said, noting that the region’s bicycle
network eventually will be 400-plus miles
long.
These efforts by the
City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County, Tennessee, will be
recognized at APA’s National Planning Conference during a
luncheon ceremony scheduled for April 17, 2007 in Philadelphia. In
addition, a 30-minute video about all of APA’s 2007 National
Planning Excellence, Achievement, and Leadership Awards recipients
will be shown at the luncheon. Also, the accomplishments of
Chattanooga and the 13 other 2007 awardees will be highlighted in
the April 2007 issue of Planning magazine and on the APA
website (www.planning.org).
“Partnerships
have been the key to expanding use of bicycles in the
region,” said Melissa Taylor, senior planner with the
Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency.
“Without the high level of cooperation between public
agencies and private organizations, we could not have accomplished
as much as we have during the past six years,” she
added.
“I’m
very proud of the work our employees and the planning agency have
done to make the dream of getting more Chattanoogans to ride
bicycles to work a reality,” said Mayor Ron
Littlefield. “This award is another feather in
Chattanooga’s hat that shows we are a progressive city that
promotes and supports a healthy lifestyle,” said Mayor
Littlefield.
Among those
accomplishments has been completion of a $50,000 Chattanooga
Bicycle Facilities Master Plan that provides a blueprint for
undertaking $24 million in bicycle lane and route improvements in
the region during the next 20 years. Already $300,000 in federal
Surface Transportation Program funds have been used to create 28
miles of dedicated bike lanes and share-the-road bike routes, place
bike racks on public buses and throughout downtown Chattanooga, and
published bicycling brochures and bikeway maps. “Chattanooga
citizens can expect another 30-plus miles of bike lanes and routes
next spring,” adds Bicycle Coordinator Phil
Pugliese.
“More and more
residents are excited about bicycling. Since 2002 we’ve seen
a steady increase in the number of people riding bikes to work, to
community events and for recreation,” Taylor said, adding
that 10 communities in the region have adopted the 2002 Bicycle
Facilities Master Plan. “Our area is on its way to become one
of the country’s leading places for bicycling.” For
more information about bicycling in Chattanooga
visitwww.bikechattanooga.org
or to download the Bicycle Master Plan
visit www.chcrpa.org.
For a list of all of
the APA 2007 National Planning Excellence, Achievement, and
Leadership Award recipients, visit
http://www.planning.org/newsreleases/2006/ftp121506.htm
. APA’s national planning
awards, considered by U.S. planners to be the profession’s
highest honor, is a tradition established more than 50 years ago to
recognize outstanding community plans, planning programs and
initiatives, public education efforts, and individuals for their
leadership on planning issues.
The
American Planning Association and its professional institute, the
American Institute of CertifiedPlanners, are dedicated to advancing
the art, science and profession of goodplanning--physical, economic
and social-- so as to create communities that offer better choices
for where and how people work and live. Members of APA help create
communities of lasting value and encourage civic leaders, business
interests and citizens to play a meaningful role in creating
communities that enrich people's lives. APA has offices in
Washington, D.C., Chicago, Ill., and Shanghai, China. For more
information, visit its website at www.planning.org
.
For more info about this release contact Michelle
Michaud at 423-290-
7394.
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