Where do we stand in our efforts to provide Lexington with Greenway trails? As an ongoing feature of our newsletters, we will look at benchmark cities and compare our efforts with those of other cities around the country.

Lexington versus Chattanooga, Tennessee

POPULATION
Chattanooga 155,554
Lexington 260,512
Lexington is 67% larger

MEDIAN AGE
Chattanooga 36.8 years
Lexington 33 years
Lexington’s population is 10% younger

HOUSEHOLD INCOME
Chattanooga $32,006
Lexington $39,813
Lexington’s income is 24% higher

PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE OR HIGHER
Chattanooga 21.5%
Lexington 35.6%
Lexington’s percentage is 65% greater

TRAILS
Chattanooga:
over 15 miles of paved trail with the largest trail being over 6 miles in length.
It runs into the center on the urban core.

Lexington:
approximately 13 miles of trail; 7 miles paved and 6 miles of grass trail. The largest continuous trail is 4 miles on grass at Masterson Station Park.

Despite the fact the Lexington is noticeably larger, younger, more prosperous, and better educated, Chattanooga,Tennessee has built more miles of trails and put together longer continuous distances.

Here’s the good news:
Under the Newberry Administration and the current LFUCG council Lexington has picked up the pace of trail planning and development dramatically. We can optimistically state that the trajectory we are on today will allow us to catch up with the successes of other benchmark cities.

To learn more about Chattanooga’s success log on to:

http://www.chattanooga.gov/cpr/greenways.htm
(This piece was written a few years ago and the totals for Lexington and Chattanooga have undoubtedly increased. We welcome any updated available.)