NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — For years, residents and workers along Dickerson Pike in Nashville have voiced their demands for sidewalks.
This dangerous road — claiming lives along its path — is finally witnessing long-awaited improvements to pedestrian safety, and it's obvious from looking at it in video why it needs sidewalks.
It's one of the most dangerous streets for pedestrians in Tennessee, according to data kept by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
On Sept. 22, a 62-year-old died when she was struck by a Hyundai Elantra sedan as she crossed the road from east to west.
Uoli Mejia Primero, at about six months pregnant, was crossing Dickerson Pike in July when she was struck by a southbound vehicle. The driver did not stop and fled the scene.
Navigating the street without sidewalks has been a harrowing experience, leaving pedestrians to tread cautiously.
"There's no sidewalk at all, so you just have to be cautious when you are walking. You know you just have to look at any incoming traffic on the right side, to be honest," said Nestor Venzon.
The call for sidewalks has been echoed for years. Back in January 2022 the family of Ashley Young.
In January 2022, Young was tragically struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while walking along Dickerson Pike.
Her uncle, Roy Williams, pleaded for action.
"Get out here and put some sidewalks up, put some lights, and MTA, if you want their money, you got a bus stop sitting here, put a real bus stop," he said.
Anthony Hernendez, another resident, spoke about the ongoing challenges.
"I just try to stay more over in the shoulder area on this side so I don’t get hit by cars because they don’t respect it because they just see it like a street," he said.
But construction is underway.
Walker Construction is building a Nashville Department of Transportation sidewalk in two phases along Dickerson Pike. Construction is underway right now on the east side of Dickerson Pike from Donald Drive to Dellway Drive.
Phase 2 will fill a gap on the east side of Dickerson Pike between Trinity Lane and Duke Street.
This sidewalk project is being funded through the Vision Zero program, with an estimated project completion date set for next summer.
Nashville's Vision Zero program aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries on city streets, making the Dickerson Pike sidewalk construction a vital step towards achieving this goal.
