As Nashville continues to grow at a rapid pace, safely getting around our city is critical to get people to their jobs, to visit our vibrant businesses, and to enjoy what makes our city unique.
Downtown Bikeway Demonstration Projects
Since Downtown transportation is complex, we need to provide order to the different people using the street. We want to demonstrate how a protected bikeway will better organize our streets and obtain data on the impacts there might be to loading and servicing along 3rd Avenue and Commerce Street. These roads were identified in the WalknBike Plan for low-stress bikeways, meaning they are used by people of all ages and abilities. The demonstration project is an opportunity to address our needs to move around Downtown.
The Commerce Street and 3rd Avenue bikeways are currently on hold pending the Connect Downtown project currently underway.
Connect Downtown
Metro transportation professionals are committed to continuing to explore opportunities for people walking, bicycling, taking scooters, delivering goods, and driving through downtown. In late 2021 NDOT, WeGo Transit, Nashville Downtown Partnership, and the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) launched Connect Downtown, a multimodal transportation planning effort to improve mobility and address traffic congestion in the downtown core. Committees of both stakeholders and technical advisors continue to meet through 2023 to discuss ways to improve mobility in the downtown area. We want to continue to hear from you about the transportation needs in this area of downtown.
Downtown Bikeway Demonstration Project Background and Meeting Materials
Project Background
Metro Planning and Public Works departments began working on Downtown bikeway projects, including Commerce Street and 3rd Avenue, in early 2019. All projects were drawn from the 2017 WalknBike plan, Metro’s sidewalks and bikeways strategic plan. Staff began by coordinating a project steering committee representing Downtown and community stakeholders and business owners. The steering committee met three times between March and August 2019.
Following this coordination, the project team determined to implement the bikeway projects in three phases:
- Phase one, installed in early 2020, consisted of Commerce Street between 2nd Avenue North and 9th Avenue North
- Phase two, ready for construction as of 2022, consists of 3rd Avenue North between Union Street and Broadway
- Phase three, requiring additional work with stakeholders, consists of 3rd Avenue between Korean Veterans Boulevard and Broadway
Funding for all three phases was included in Public Works’ fiscal year 2018 capital budget allocation for bikeways, and community engagement is complete for the first two phases.
In mid-2019, after months of planning it became clear that there were operational and right-of-way challenges that necessitated further engagement prior to implementing a demonstration project on 3rd Avenue. Therefore, the initial May 2019 delivery time frame was pushed back to ensure this period of due diligence could occur to address mobility goals, as well as operational and safety issues. In March 2021, a focus group reviewed operational and loading needs on 3rd Avenue, and the bikeway was redesigned accordingly between Broadway and Union.
June 28, 2019 Steering Committee Meeting 2 Materials
- Downtown bikeways connecting infrastructure
- Steering Committee Presentation
- Steering Committee Meeting Agenda
March 28, 2019 Steering Committee Meeting 1 Materials
- Mentimeter (interactive polling tool) results
- Measures of evaluation handout
- Impacts and benefits of a project handout
- 3rd Avenue loading plan handout
- Steering Committee Presentation
- Steering Committee Meeting Agenda