Chattanooga's Changing Riverfront

Chattanooga's Changing Riverfront. . , As the 20th Century moved forward, Chattanooga's riverfront underwent massive changes. Higher water levels along the Tennessee River allowed many companies on or near the river to operate their own wharfs. Steam engines lost out to diesel-powered engines early in the century, and these powerful boats were (and continue to be) used to tow large barges filled with grain, salt, sand, coal, lime or gravel. The long-time competitor of river transport, the railroads, also ceased to hold as much importance as automotive modes of transport worked their way into American culture. An elaborate and far-reaching highway and interstate system made travel and transport by road the primary source of transportation in America by the middle of the century, and increasing traffic in the Chattanooga area led to dramatic changes on the riverfront. , , In the late 1940's, a bridge had been built across the Chickamauga Dam to service the suburbs of Chattanooga, and in the 1950's, plans were put forward for the creation of a four-lane highway bridge that could serve the downtown area's increasing traffic problems. Begun in 1955, the Olgiati Bridge required not only a new structure across the Tennessee, but also a new highway near the downtown area. This new highway required the leveling of Cameron Hill (which, though many protested, was shortened over 150 feet) and the relocation of the residents of Blue Goose Hollow on the flank of Cameron Hill. The bridge was completed late in 1959 and stood as the fifth river crossing to service the Chattanooga area. , , Riverside Drive and Parkway caused the next major alteration of the riverfront. This road connects with Amnicola Highway, runs near the banks of the river from the bluff area around the base of Cameron Hill, and continues in the general direction of the river until it intercepts Broad Street, creating a bypass of the downtown area. Unfortunately, the price of this thruway included the loss of several historical buildings and homes, as well as a large portion of the Citico mound, a site of pre-Columbian Mississippian Indian habitation. , , In the 1980's increasing traffic pressures in the outlying areas led to the construction of the C.B. Robinson Bridge just south of the Chickamauga Dam, and to the widening of the bridge across the dam. , , In 1984, the Veterans Bridge (pictured at top) became the fourth bridge in the downtown area, though only three were traversable at the time. The Walnut Street Bridge, on which you stand, was closed in 1978 and threatened with demolition. Fortunately, it was saved and renovated to become a vital part of the Tennessee Riverwalk Pedestrian and Bicycle System that will stretch along both banks of the river from the Chickamauga Dam to Ross's Landing. , , The river has always been an important resource for inhabitants of the Chattanooga area, though many of its passengers now use it only for recreation. The last decade has seen an increased concentration on the riverfront as a focal point for the revitalization of the city, and the construction of the Tennessee Aquarium and the renovation of Walnut Street Bridge have given the riverfront an attractive and interesting facelift. Every summer, thousands wander through the areas devoted to the Riverbend Festival. Pedestrians may cross the river safely and enjoyably, while cars have three river crossing available where, for most of the landing's first 75 years, only ferry service was available. The water may be less wild, more a series of lakes than an unpredictable natural force, but as long as it rains in the Tennessee Valley, the river will bend its way through Chattanooga.