NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As the city grew around Dickerson Pike, city leaders said the road stayed the same.
During a bus ride out to a stop on Dickerson Pike, Michael Briggs, who is Nashville's director of transportation planning, said more people will ride with improved frequency and reliability.
“You know if you plug your phone in to charge and it doesn’t, you aren’t going to go back to that outlet, so we have had that same experience with the bus,” said Briggs.
Similar to Murfreesboro, Lebanon, and Gallatin Pike, Michael points out the stop on Dickerson Pike where city sidewalks did not keep pace with growth.
“When we get off, there will be an elementary school that was built with a sidewalk,” said Briggs. “You will see on both ends of that street where the sidewalk just stops.”
Briggs walked the same storm ditch that riders, including some school employees, use daily in a school zone.
“Directly south of here in the turning lane, we have had several fatalities,” said Briggs.
After voters decided to raise the sales tax by 25 cents for every 50 dollars spent, Briggs shared how they'll reimagine these roads for walkers, riders, and drivers, who he says want to get through stoplights faster by building sidewalks, adding more crosswalks, and installing smart lights to keep traffic flowing.
Briggs said one big change by the end of this year will relieve pocketbooks with free rides.
“So if you qualify for housing or nutrition assistance, you will get a quick ticket,” said Briggs.
Briggs said the Choose How You Move initiative will work on these changes over 15 years. Though plans remain in the early phases, Briggs says they will hold community engagement meetings.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Kim.Rafferty@gmail.com
The line ''see something, say something" took on new meaning recently in Bowling Green. Two alert neighbors helped tip police to stolen Corvettes from the nearby assembly plant. That led law enforcement to find 8 stolen Corvettes worth over $1 million. We may all be able to learn a little lesson from this.
-Lelan Statom
