Nashville Mayor Megan Barry announced Tuesday night at the Metro Council meeting she is ready to build new sidewalks in each council district in Davidson County.
Putting in new sidewalks was a campaign promise Barry made while she was running for office last year.
"Anytime you have a transit line, or you're trying to get kids to school, or you've got a lot of pedestrian traffic, you want to make sure people are safe and building a sidewalk makes that happen," the Mayor said.
Metro Public Works has been compiling a list of high priority areas that will help fill the sidewalk gaps in communities across Nashville.
"The next step is to engage the council members, it's in their districts, so their excited about where they potentially will go," Mayor Barry explained.
Building new sidewalks in Nashville has been an issue many people have discussed over the last decade. Council-at-Large member Erica Gilmore said new sidewalks will help improve many neighborhoods.
"Because if you can have sidewalks, you can get people out walking, you can get people connected. It provides more walk ability, it includes buses, and things of that nature, as people get around they become more mobile," Gilmore explained.
Gilmore said the fact Metro Public Works will consult with each council member was a change from the past.
"It was really just exciting to know that Public Works will get their input, because sometimes the sidewalks just go off a plan of where the mayor has desired them to be in the past," said Gilmore.
In East Nashville, residents said they welcome the possibility of new ways to get around the neighborhood.
"We've got a school just up the street, Tom Joy, and we wouldn't want any kids getting hit by a car, so I think it's a great idea," according to Brian Owen.
The mayor has planned to use $15 million in unused bond money for the sidewalks and for paving projects.
City leaders have also been working to revamp Nashville's master plan for sidewalks and bicyclists.
