For the first time in five years, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) gathered, and Mayor Freddie O’Connell charged them with increasing the number of bicycle friendly businesses in Nashville while focusing on the policies that will help Nashville achieve bike friendly city status as defined by the League of American Bicyclists.
BPAC is tasked with promoting cycling and walking in the city with key infrastructure projects, including incorporating walking and biking in community plans, and coordinating with the Vision Zero committee on ways to promote safety.
“We took a step closer over the weekend toward our goals with the 20th anniversary of the Tour de Nash at The Nations,” Mayor Freddie O’Connell told the committee. “It was the first time we’d set up open streets at the start and finish of Nashville’s largest urban bike ride. It’s a great way to explore the city’s bikeways, neighborhoods, and greenways. It’s also a great way to connect with your neighbors.”
In conjunction with the first committee meeting, Mayor O’Connell released a new map related to his Choose How You Move transportation improvement program. The map (attached) depicts the 35 miles of new and improved bicycle facilities that would be covered under the Choose How You Move program.
In Mayor O’Connell’s first set of executive orders in January, he expanded Metro’s Green and Complete Streets policy. This includes integrating and prioritizing multimodal street improvements such as bicycle boulevards, protected bicycle lanes, high-capacity transit corridors, connected and accessible networks of sidewalks and walking paths, and safe and convenient street crossings.
A complete street network is the backbone of a more livable and resilient city.
"We're so fortunate to have an amazing community of walking and biking advocates here in Nashville,” said Diana Alarcon, Director of the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure. “I'm eager to get BPAC re-launched and collaborate with each member to continue the important work of building out a safe and connected transportation network in line with Nashville's Vision Zero goals."
Mayor Karl Dean first established a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee in 2009.
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