Napier + Chestnut Hill Connections
Most Recent Update
2024Focus Area
Celebrate Streets
Partners
Safe Connections for South Nashville
This project aims to emphasize the significant multimodal connections linking Downtown, Napier, Chestnut Hill, and Wedgewood-Houston. The Design Center has thoroughly examined various concepts and implemented tangible tactical urbanism interventions to advocate for enhanced connectivity in South Nashville. We are working on a major tactical urbanism intervention at the dangerous intersection of Wharf, Chestnut and Trimble to raise awareness on the need for safer links between Napier and the surrounding community. This connects to a planned bikeway slated to be built in 2025, however, neighbors are concerned about the specific route. We are currently engaging residents to share their perspectives on improving the route before it is finalized.
This project supports our Guiding Principle for celebrating streets as places that address neighborhood needs and facilitate community interactions. Check out the Guiding Principles to learn more about our goals.
Map showing the focus area in orange, important multimodal connections in yellow, and potential greenway connections in blue.
Project components
Bike ways are good for Neighborhoods
Bikeways play a crucial role in bridging an equitable divide in core urban neighborhoods in South Nashville by providing safe and accessible transportation options for all residents that could connect areas that are not easy to walk to. New bikeways not only promote physical activity and reduce traffic congestion but also can enhance connectivity Napier and Chestnut. Crosstown transportation options are limited so bikeways offer a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative, ensuring that neighbors can reach essential services, schools, and job opportunities. By investing in bikeways here, we can create more inclusive and healthier communities, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Use the slider tool to see before and after of concept for a roundabout with bikelanes on Chestnut St at Fort Negley Blvd from safer Chestnut Blog
What You Can Do to Help
We need volunteers for turbo!
Tactical urbanism is an action-oriented approach using temporary measures to offer and test solutions in the public realm. It is also known as planning by-doing or pop-up urbanism and has been happening in Nashville since 2012, when Civic Design Center held the community’s first Park(ing) Day.
The Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT) has created a new guide to assist local applicants in developing, permitting, and installing tactical urbanism projects. This guide was developed with Metro Staff, Barge Design Solutions and Fairpointe Planning and was informed by input from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), Nashville's Vision Zero Advisory Committee, Civic Design Center, and Walk Bike Nashville.
A key goal of this guide is to make it easier for communities across Nashville to install tactical urbanism projects. In early 2024, NDOT will begin providing additional support for applicants including pre-application meetings and access to funding for materials and installation costs within priority zones based on the Vision Zero Action Plan.
The 2022 WalknBike Plan serves as a blueprint to make Nashville more walkable and bikeable over the next three years. WalknBike 2022 updates the 2017 WalknBike plan, laying the foundation for expedited delivery of projects that are both needed and constructible.
A key outcome of this planning process is a list of projects that will guide the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT) over the next three years. Projects were prioritized based on four main factors: safety of people walking & Biking, connectivity to the existing network, equity & the presence of vulnerable communities, and access to transit.
The Vision Zero movement is a worldwide strategy to eliminate all traffic-related deaths and severe injuries and at the same time, increase safety, equity, and mobility for all users. Metro Nashville and Davidson County became a Vision Zero city in 2022. Metro Council adopted the Vision Zero Action Plan and Implementation Plan in August of that year.
While Vision Zero is a challenging goal, it’s worth working towards because people deserve safe streets in Nashville.
Ariel rendering looking north towards Napier over Lafayette
Since the launch of Envision Napier and Sudekum in November 2016, the community has provided input towards the plan at more than 60 meetings, public Town Halls, workshops, and community engagement.
Some of the highlights of the Final Transformation Plan include:
Mixed-use, mixed-income community of up to 2100 apartments, including a one-for-one replacement of all 821 subsidized units
New 4-acre park in the center of the community
Proposed new Regional Community Center (lining up with Metro Parks strategic plan)
Expanded Early Learning, After-School, and Summer Programming
Comprehensive Community Safety Plan with neighborhood watch and merchants association
Expansion of health care services through Neighborhood Health Clinic, which includes establishment of full-service pharmacy, pediatric care, inoculation services, female reproductive services, and wellness education
This project is possible by support from:
