Please note that the information on this site is offered for general purposes under normal conditions. Please adhere to all federal, state, and local guidelines relating to social distancing, the use of face coverings, and other ways to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. We strongly encourage you to read and follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines for travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bike
Our community is a great place to ride a bike. Chattanooga was first named a bicycle-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists in 2003. In 2012, Chattanooga became the first city in Tennessee to launch a municipal bike share program. In 2014, Chattanooga became the first city in Tennessee classified as a silver-level bicycle friendly community, as well as the first city in Tennessee with a bicycle-specific traffic signal.
The first-ever Southeast Regional Bicycle Tourism Summit was hosted in Chattanooga in 2016 and highlighted the regional appeal of bicycle tourism and our connections to the U.S. Bicycle Route System (route 21 connects Chattanooga to Atlanta). Great greenways & biking opportunities continue to roll out regionally, including the Wolftever Creek Greenway in Collegedale, the Ringgold Nature Trail, and more!
In both Tennessee and Georgia, bicycles have the right to use the roadway and the responsibility to follow all traffic rules. No matter how you get around, the same rules apply to us all.
- All vehicles operating on the public right of way at night MUST have a white, front-facing light and at least a rear red reflector, both visible from 500 feet. No ifs ands or buts about this one: if you’re riding at night, you need to have lights.
- According to the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, “You can ride your bike on many paved paths and greenways across the state or in the road. Bicycles in TN have a right to ride in the road, just like a car. Drivers of cars are required to give bicycle riders at least 3-feet of space when passing.”
- You are safest where you are most easily expected. Riding in the right-hand lane or in available biking infrastructure, such as bike lanes, makes it easy for drivers and other roadway users to see you and give the legally required three feet of passing distance.
- The League of American Bicyclists’ Smart Cycling page offers plenty of resources to help you start cycling safely. From videos to tip sheets, this is a great place to start.
- Outdoor Chattanooga also offers free Learn to Ride a Bike and Bike Commuting 101 courses, as well as a $10 Intro to Mountain Biking class. Please visit Outdoor Chattanooga’s biking activities page for registration information and more details.
- The Chattanooga Department of Transportation’s bicycling page has some helpful details about the types of bicycle infrastructure you may encounter while biking in our community.
Tennessee Highway Safety Office - Bicycle & pedestrian safety
Georgia Department of Transportation - Bicycle & pedestrian information