Is there a better way to park downtown?

By William Newlin

We recently took a shuttle ride around downtown Chattanooga with Charles Frazier, CEO of CARTA. While we did a loop between the CARTA North and Northshore garages, we spoke about how his plan to ease parking frustrations fits into his vision for a revamped free shuttle system.

⚠️ The problem: “Parking is limited at times, even though we have a large inventory,” Frazier told us aboard the Northshore Express shuttle. “Everybody wants to go to dinner around the same time, and they want to park right in front.”

🛠️ The fix: “Park once, and then utilize the shuttles to get wherever else you want to go,” Frazier said.  

CARTA operates three parking garages, at the Choo Choo, near the Aquarium, and on the Northshore. The garages offer low-cost rates, including a free first hour, and they’re all on the current shuttle route. 

Frazier aims to expand the shuttle service, so that the network reaches more parts of the downtown area: “The shuttle routes will be redesigned so that once I park there, if I want to go to the Northshore, I get on the yellow line, if you want to get to East Main you jump on the blue line.” 

⚡️️ Flashback: Chattanooga has been known for its free electric shuttle system for decades. CARTA began running the shuttles in 1992, long before electric vehicles were commonplace. The original route between the Choo Choo and Tennessee Aquarium has changed little, although CARTA expanded to Northshore in 2007 and added its St. Elmo route in 2021.

👟 Next steps: CARTA has three new shuttles on order using grant dollars and looks to replace others as funds are available. Part of those funds come from the money CARTA collects from parking on-street and at its lots. The agency is also beginning a community visioning process to learn what kinds of shuttle routes the public would use most.

🎥 Watch our ride along: CARTA’s CEO wants you to ‘park once’

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Contact William at william@chattamatters.com