Northshore Businesses Parking Struggles
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Local businesses in the Northshore district say traffic, accessibility, and rising operational costs are creating challenges for both employees and customers.
Richard Hardin, owner of Stone Cup Cafe, said employee parking costs are significant. “I’m not a city planner, and I’m in no way affiliated with the city government however, I would think that when you’ve got sort of your tourist corridor be it here be it across the bridge. You would make parking much more affordable for instance for my baristas for the people working here at Stone cup. I have to pay $200 a year just for them to have a parking spot in the public parking which is actually owned by the Chattanooga little theater center,” Hardin said.
Hardin added that the annual parking expenses for employees can total several thousand dollars. “I’ve got $2000-$3000 a year just in parking for my people so that they’re not getting charged $7, $8, $10 dollars a day,” he said.
Other business owners in the area, including Kevin Billingsley, General Manager of Big Bad Breakfast, said the combination of increased development and limited parking availability creates challenges for customers. “Well, I think we see that now and not only do you have places where it’s extremely difficult to park. It’s expensive to park. You know it’s not, you know back in the good old days you pulled up to meters and threw some quarters in it. Now it’s $10-$15 for a special event. It’s $20 a parking car and that’s the frustrating part,” Billingsley said.
Billingsley also highlighted public transportation as a potential component in addressing access challenges. “I wish we as a society would use public transportation more of it. I’ve been to other countries where people don’t have cars, but the public transportation mass transportation, you know that’s how they get around,” he said.
He further emphasized the importance of improving access to business districts. “As far as the city goes figuring out a way to get more traffic over here more than just you know the free shuttles that don’t seem to be well advertised,” Billingsley said.
Business owners say traffic patterns, accessibility, and parking all influence whether employees can get to work efficiently and whether customers can visit the area easily.
Local officials have previously indicated that transportation and parking remain ongoing discussions in the district, as city planners consider ways to balance growth with accessibility.
