Nashville Planners Release ‘Connect Downtown’ Plan

The city’s transportation department aims to make moving through downtown Nashville smoother and safer.

1 minute read

November 12, 2023, 9:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


View from street level of brightly neon-lit bars and theaters on Broadway in downtown Nashville, Tennessee.

Ayman / Adobe Stock

The city of Nashville’s Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT) is releasing a mobility plan dubbed Connect Downtown that aims to smooth out the “mess of Ubers, scooters, one-way streets and jaywalking, without clear arteries connecting east to west or north to south” that characterizes downtown Nashville. 

As Eli Motycka reports for Nashville Scene, the city is playing “a clunky game of catchup” to adapt infrastructure to new mobility modes and needs. “A damning report from Forbes last month put even more heat on city leaders to figure out the city’s transportation growing pains. The national business magazine ranked Nashville as the country’s hardest commute, estimating that residents lost 41 hours over 2022 to traffic and congestion obstacles.”

Planners are working on long-term projects including a pedestrian-only zone and an “aspirational” bus rapid transit (BRT) line to the airport, as well as shorter-term improvements such as bike lanes. “If it seems like bike lanes are suddenly popping up everywhere, it’s because they’re riding a combination of modern urban design principles and a planning department trying desperately to help Nashville catch up,” Motycka explains.

Tuesday, November 7, 2023 in Nashville Scene

Single-family homes in a suburban neighborhood in Florida.

New Florida Law Curbs HOA Power

The legislation seeks to cut down on ‘absurd’ citations for low-level violations.

June 16, 2024 - The Guardian

Multistory apartment building under construction.

New Tennessee Law Allows No-Cost Incentives for Affordable Housing

Local governments in the Volunteer State can now offer developers incentives like increased density, lower parking requirements, and priority permitting for affordable housing projects.

June 10, 2024 - Nooga Today

Aerial view of intersection in New York City with yellow cabs and zebra crosswalks.

Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths

Professor Wes Marshall’s provocatively-titled new book, "Killed by a Traffic Engineer," has stimulated fierce debates. Are his criticisms justified? Let’s examine the degree that traffic engineers contribute to avoidable traffic deaths.

June 13, 2024 - Todd Litman

Brick high-rise apartment buildings in New York City

Study: Housing Crisis is About Affordability, not Supply

New research shows that there is no overall shortage of housing units, but all U.S. metropolitan areas face a severe lack of affordable units for low-income renters.

June 18 - University of Kansas

Couple on one side of desk with banker on other side looking at paperwork.

Are Race-Based Lawsuits Affecting Community Lenders?

Shelterforce spoke with community lending leaders and experts about the current mood across the sector. What, if anything, are organizations doing to avoid becoming the next target of conservative activists?

June 18 - Shelterforce Magazine

Rendering of Glory Park in Lewisville, Texas.

New Park Promotes Community and Connectivity in Lewisville, Texas

The city of Lewisville just celebrated the opening of Glory Park/Parque la Gloria, helping to improve park access and the quality of life for residents.

June 18 - Lewisville Leader

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.