Following a fatal crash on Frazier Avenue in November that killed two pedestrians, the city of Chattanooga unveiled two options in February for redesigns of the roadway.
Both options would reduce the roadway from four lanes — two in either direction — to one lane both ways with a turning lane in the middle.
According to traffic data and standards from the state Department of Transportation, reducing the number of lanes would sufficiently accommodate the level of traffic typically seen on Frazier Avenue.
After the city unveiled the redesigns, an online public survey launched. The survey can be found at cha.city/frazier.
The survey is set to close at 11:59 p.m. Friday.
Dan Reuter, executive director of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency, said in a text 1,518 people had responded to the survey as of last week.
The city plans to release a final plan for the redesign March 29.
(READ MORE: Chattanooga's North Shore merchants oppose lane loss)
Difference between redesigns
The primary difference between the two options for redesigns is the first, option A, would exclude bike lanes on the roadway.
City of Chattanooga / One of the proposed redesigns for Frazier Avenue.Option B would include bike lanes on the north end of the roadway as well as a buffer separating bike traffic from vehicle traffic.
City of Chattanooga / One of the proposed redesigns for Frazier Avenue.Option A would also increase on-street parking on Frazier from 27 spaces to 35 while option B would reduce spaces to 19.
Nearby public parking and on-street parking on River Street, Woodland Avenue and Forest Avenue would remain the same at 781 and 97 spaces, respectively.
Views on redesign
Jon Jon Wesolowski, a pedestrian advocate with the Chattanooga Urbanist Society, said in a phone interview he prefers option B due to the bike lanes present within the design.
"At the end of the day, bike facilities reduce congestion for cars, increase safety for pedestrians and bring in more profitable customers and are therefore better for business," Wesolowski said.
From his view, parking won't be an issue with option B.
"There is ample parking in the area," he said.
At the city's unveiling of the redesign, Ross Pitcairn, the city's public works administrator, said the city is leaning toward option A.
Reuter said in a phone interview that the city will evaluate public feedback before making a final decision.
He said either option would slow down drivers.
"That's the goal here. It's unsafe, and the accident that happened there before, it was a tragedy," Reuter said. "We definitely want to improve that by slowing down cars. It's not going to keep people from being distracted while driving or aggressive while driving or drunk while driving, but it is going to absolutely make it safer for pedestrians to slow down cars."
Reuter said he would like to see the bike lanes, if implemented from option B, be multiuse lanes.
"So if I want to walk, if I'm going to wheelchair, whatever it is, I have a safe area there," Reuter said.
(READ MORE: Local advocate and viral TikToker wants to see safer streets in Chattanooga)
Update on fatal crash investigation
Over Thanksgiving weekend in November, Randy Vega, 44, of Tampa, Florida, lost control of his vehicle during an alleged road rage incident involving another vehicle and mounted the curb in front of the Walnut Bridge Gift Shop, killing two pedestrians and injuring another.
The victims were tourists from Jacksonville, Florida, Ana Posso Rodriguez, 41, and her son, Jonathan Devia, 1.
During a preliminary hearing in the case against Vega in January, Chattanooga police officers testified Vega was speeding and was driving drunk, above the state's blood alcohol limit.
During the hearing for the case, when Vega's cases was bound over to a grand jury, officers said the second driver, Patrick McGinty, is still under investigation.
Following McGinty's colliding with Vega's vehicle, Vega lost control of his car.
Contact Ben Sessoms at bsessoms@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.