Balloting Process
The 6-month door-to-door petition process requiring 70% of homeowner signatures was replaced with an online balloting process in Summer 2022. Homeowners whose property abuts the right-of-way of the selected street receive simple instructions in the mail from the Nashville Department of Transportation. The postcard contains a QR code to view the plans for their street and cast their vote for or against the department's recommended changes.
Street specific online ballots are active for six weeks. Once voting is closed, a two-thirds (66%) supermajority of favorable votes must be received from homeowners who submitted a vote to proceed with the recommended neighborhood street traffic calming project. Only traffic calming strategies that involve placing traffic calming devices within the existing travel lanes will require online balloting.
Reapplication Process
The Nashville Department of Transportation does not require re-application. However, due to Nashville’s rapid growth, traffic conditions may have changed since the initial date of application. If an applicant wishes for the Nashville Department of Transportation to reassess traffic conditions on their street(s), the applicant must reapply no earlier than two years after the initial date of application. The new application must include updated contact information and updated concerns related to safety and quality of life.
Neighborhood Street Selections
Traffic calming is generally applicable on local, residential streets with lower traffic volumes. Although speeding may be a problem on larger collector and arterial streets, these streets are designed to function differently and may not be applicable for certain treatments. Likewise, very small streets (like cul-de-sacs) or streets not having larger connectivity may not be eligible.
Objective data are used to determine a prioritized list of neighborhoods for which to develop treatments. Our prioritization is based on the following data:
- Vulnerable User Crash Survivability and Probability (70%): Vehicular speed, and volume data will be collected by NDOT.
- Vulnerable User Experience (30%): Traffic speeds often discourage safe use of streets by pedestrians and cyclists. We evaluate the presence of likely nearby trip destinations (schools, parks, etc.), non-driver accommodations (bus routes, lack of sidewalks, etc.), and vulnerable user injury/fatalities as prioritization data in this category.
Neighborhood Streets Not Selected
We will continue to support neighborhood street applicants that are not selected by scheduling speed radar trailers in their neighborhoods. Neighbors may also contact the Police Department to request extra speed enforcement. Nashville Department of Transportation automatically enrolls streets not selected into the next application window.