Concrete Gateways
By Jesse Allen, Community Member
2 min read Community member and Socially Conscious Design 101 alumnus, Jesse Allen, shares an idea for a tactical urbanism project that could bring joy to the gateway to West Nashville that is the I-440 underpass.
The Main Problem: Disconnected Neighborhoods
The return of the neighborhood stroll - it is something many of us have benefited from over the past year. Since last March, we have established our favorite routes, weaving through our neighborhood and adjacent areas.
Fewer are the days of apologizing to your dog that you are just too tired to take them for a walk after work. When the sun is shining during lunchtime, we see our surrounding neighbors like we have never seen them before – outside! This renaissance has sparked new energy across many communities in Nashville.
The return of the walk raises other issues at hand. The Socially Conscious Design 101 course offered by the Civic Design Center shed light on some of the dark times in Nashville’s history. One of these instances was the construction of the interstate that plowed through predominantly Black neighborhoods and communities - leaving many of them fractured and unable to fully recover. These infrastructures we rely on to connect us across our city are the same structures that cast the shadows over our sidewalks, separating our neighborhoods. These interstate underpasses are often less than pedestrian friendly, sporting a sidewalk with no grass buffer between traffic, litter from car passengers, and minimal lighting. One example of this is the I-440 under-pass on Charlotte Pike.
The map above depicts the location of the I-440 underpass
If you are a resident anywhere west of the I-440 interstate, you know this underpass well. It is the pinch-point between where you live and access to local amenities like the restaurants at OneC1ty and the park at Centennial. Anyone traveling on Charlotte Pike towards L&L Market, Sylvan Supply, or the Richland Farmers Market has passed under this concrete structure. The I-440 underpass on Charlotte Pike marks the front door into the “West Side” from downtown.
The journey to the green pastures of such amenities feels more like a quest if you decide to brave this path. You must face the realities of our vehicular-centric city and make your way down the narrow sidewalk, squeezed between Charlotte Pike and the colossal scale of the sloping concrete structures of I-440.
As you step over litter tossed dismissively to the ground from passenger windows, you can noticeably feel your shoulder tense. The loudly echoing sounds of cars zooming down Charlotte Pike is chaotic, while the proximity of the cars to the sidewalk you are on reminds you tuck in your elbows. You don’t even realize the noise has drowned out that podcast you were listening to on your headphones, as you pick up your pace to get to the other side. Eventually, you emerge from the path and turn into the pedestrian accommodating area that is OneC1ty. You rewind your podcast to catch the part you missed. Luckily, there’s ice cream ahead.
A playful rendering depicting more joy on Charlotte Pike under the underpass
A Tactical Urbanism Solution
What if this section of your walk was one of the highlights? What if it was clean, had plantings, or maybe even brightly painted elements? What if there were lights that make it glow so you can walk home after a game of sand volleyball after the sun goes down? What if this arching concrete gateway was a welcome sign for all who come to West Nashville?
What if highway underpasses were like welcome signs to our neighborhoods?
Let’s take our neighborhood stroll into our own hands. By improving the pedestrian experience under the I-440 overpass, we can encourage our community to keep exploring adjacent neighborhoods and parks on foot. We have the power to stitch our walking routes back together – join TURBO Nashville in volunteering to participate in this special placemaking project.