Reimagining Chatt Transit Stops

Chattanooga Design Studio and Carta presented Chatt En Route on July 8 at Waterhouse Pavilion, where two teams pitched their ideas for reimagining transit stops.

The public was invited to attend the event, where two teams pitched their ideas for state-of-the-art transit stops located in several areas of Chattanooga. The winning team will eventually be able to pilot their design in one area of Chattanooga.

"We do this because we can dream big outside of time and budget constraints," said Chattanooga Design Studio Executive Director, Eric Myers. "It is important to have discussions like this to see what works and doesn't work and carry forward with what works."

Downtown Chattanooga Alliance is proud to be a part of this visioning project, which could eventually update bus stops throughout the District and all over Chattanooga. DCA Executive Director Steve Brookes is on the steering committee for this design project, where he offers advice and helps decide the priorities of the project.

The first design team presented their idea for transit stops with "the right to be." Their design was influenced by the idea that the stop would say, "I'm here," with its significant scale and beautiful design. They designed bus stops for Warner Park and UTC Greenway, both on McCallie Avenue. 

The team noticed a lack of shelter from the sun and rain in existing transit stops. They considered this issue in their design by incorporating a canopy with a steel roof that blocks the sun and prevents some rain while passengers are waiting for their bus. 

One concern from the audience was that the rain would still be able to get in through the canopies under certain conditions. The team responded to this by saying their main focus was shading the sun because sun is much more constant in Chattanooga than rain. 

The second design team designed a transit stop near Parkridge Medical Center and Food City in St. Elmo. Their design focused on catering to different types of bus riders and incorporating public art. They want to create a sense of wonder by including kaleidoscope structures from local artist Richard Foster. The structures would give children something to occupy their time while waiting for a bus. 

The team also mentioned post or table-mounted kaleidoscope structures inside of thematic housing based on the transit stop’s location. One example included a Rock City barn with kaleidoscope elements inside. The stops would also have a covered roof with slats for wind, Chattanooga E-bikes, bike racks, and fold-away seating. 

One concern from the audience was the lack of resources for the hearing and deaf community at the transit stop. The team addressed this by saying that is something they could incorporate into their design with braille and possible auditory elements.

The teams will consider all feedback and move forward with the next steps soon. To learn more about the process and how to be involved, visit https://www.chatten-route.org.