Keep An Eye On the Tri-State

The Interstate 75/Interstate 24 interchange in Chattanooga has received an "F" from the state in terms of traffic congestion. But despite plans to spend $132.5 million in an improvement project now underway, the state expects the interchange's congestion score to only rise to a "D" by 2040.

Cyclists in Southeast Tennessee now have a new and growing network of bike routes to explore: Bikeways of the Scenic South. This network of carefully crafted road cycling routes is available at ScenicBikeways.com, and the routes include downloadable maps, turn-by-turn cue sheets, notable points of interest, conveniences, and descriptive narratives of what to expect along the routes.

Telecommuting offers alternative to driving to work and could lesson congestion on interstates. But it requires internet access and affordability in local communities.

One of the best spots for birding in the Chattanooga region is Jackson County, Alabama’s Stevenson City Park. About 45 miles southwest of downtown Chattanooga, the park is located on a peninsula in Crow Creek, and is part of the 3,346-acre Crow Creek Refuge. Stevenson City Park is a stop on the North Alabama Birding Trail and largely consists of a mixture of trees and grassy areas, along with easily accessible shoreline.

By using geodesign to support green infrastructure planning, Thrive and its partners have committed to collaborative planning approaches to sustain the natural assets of the greater Chattanooga region for generations to come.

Initiated in 2017, Thrive's Transportation Collaborative was designed to generate solutions for the future of transportation infrastructure in the tri-state region, specifically as related to freight, workforce transit, and data connectivity.

The Thriving Communities program invests in leadership development in local, rural communities, and sparked a creative placemaking movement across a southeastern tri-state region.