Today, Mayor John Cooper announced a new initiative to increase the accountability and transparency around hundreds of neighborhood improvement projects across Nashville. Beginning today, residents can track the progress of over 800 neighborhood improvements projects through a new online tool- a Neighborhoods Improvement Tracker -- that will provide real-time updates throughout each phase, from groundbreaking to completion.
“Great cities have great neighborhoods, and for too long Metro government has prioritized downtown development and tax incentives for billion-dollar corporations over more money for good schools, clean and well-maintained infrastructure like roads and sidewalks, first-class greenspace, playgrounds and community centers and other investments that will benefit families in their neighborhoods,” said Mayor John Cooper. “I’m proud of the nearly 800 major neighborhood improvement projects currently underway in every community in Davidson County. The new online tool we are launching today will add an important layer of transparency to those projects. Residents can now see everything we’re working on and track the progress in real time. This is what real accountability in government looks like, and it is the latest way we’re delivering on our promise to create a Nashville that works for every neighborhood and every family.”
Cooper unveiled the new initiative earlier today against the backdrop of one of the 800+ neighborhood projects – a key culvert replacement happening on Brick Church Pike between the Whites Creek and Joelton neighborhoods. Nashville’s Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure maintains over 4,000 culverts that are essential to managing stormwater and preventing flash flooding and road closures, particularly as severe weather becomes more unpredictable due to the effects of climate change.
“Vital infrastructure improvements like this culvert replacement have been underfunded and put off for years, especially in neighborhoods like this one,” said Mayor Cooper earlier today. “Most people don’t think too deeply about culverts until they don’t work, but if they’re not properly maintained, it means severe flooding, pavement failure and road closures, which we were starting to see here. Brick Church Pike is a critical regional connector road enabling Goodlettsville residents and others in surrounding counties efficient access to schools, jobs and opportunities throughout the rest of Davidson County. I’m grateful NDOT was able to complete the vast majority of this project this summer while school was out of session to reduce the impact on the community.”
Each neighborhood project is a capital improvement, which means it has a use-life of greater than 10 years and costs more than $50,000. Projects can range from upgrades to Metro facilities like schools and community centers to upgrading infrastructure like sidewalks, bridges, speed bumps, bike lanes and more. These are in addition to thousands of more small-scale improvements happening every day from filling potholes to enhancing safe multimodal access for residents across Nashville.
Earlier today, Mayor Cooper visited several other sites in different neighborhoods to monitor their progress, and plans to visit several more tomorrow. Those sites include:
- Whites Creek High School, where crews are close to completing a new gym floor, new auditorium lighting and AV renovation, and paving improvements.
- New sidewalks on Maplewood Trace in North Inglewood, which also includes extensive storm water and utility work to help prevent flash flooding and road closures. These sidewalks are adjacent to Maplewood High School and will make commutes safer and easier for many students and parents.
- General Clinton B Fisk park in North Nashville, which was virtually destroyed by the tornado in 2020 and will now feature a new playground, fitness equipment, picnic shelter, trail loop, basketball court refurbishment and other improvements.
- NDOT’s Infrared Pothole Replacement Truck in Northeast Nashville, which cuts the process for permanently fixing potholes down from 2 steps (patching and paving) to 1 fast step. Since taking office, the time it takes for Metro to fix potholes after they are first reported has gone from several days to just over 48 hours, and we’re adding a second infrared truck this year to make it even faster.
- Cole Elementary in Southeast Nashville, where crews are close to completing a new roof, new floors, exterior lighting upgrades, interior lighting upgrades, air quality improvements and more.
Stones River Greenway Hickory Hill and Ravenwood Park in Donelson/Hermitage, the site of two major projects. A new half mile greenway trail will connect the Hickory Hill neighborhood to the Stones River Greenway and Ravenwood Park, and major improvements to Ravenwood Park itself including a large playground, event lawn, event/picnic shelter, sport courts, trails and other improvements.
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