Oh Hillsboro Road…Why Does Nashville Keep Building Dead Sidewalks?

This sidewalk, being on Hillsboro at the 440 exchange, should have a 6 foot sidewalk with an 8 foot green buffer.  It is in front of the Enclave developement.  Inexplicably, the sidewalk lacks a green buffer but does have a full lawn and trees set significantly back from the walkway - providing no shade.  This sidewalk, in particular is so unfortunate.  It was built after the Davidson-County Strategic Plan for Sidewalks & Bikeways was created in 2003.  It could have set the precedent for Hillsboro Rd which has a serious deficit in the sidewalk network between Hillsboro Village and Green Hills.  

It is a new sidewalk - one that can be added to 'new miles' of sidewalks but it is a dead sidewalk.  Do you ever see anyone walking here?  Would you walk here?  How about letting your kids play here?  The cars zipping off the expressway right next to the sidewalk do not make for a comfortable or safe scenario.  Think of how different it would be if there was an 8 foot green buffer with trees!

As a community members of Nashville, I strongly urge you to be critical of the sidewalk infrastructure you see.  In addition, I appeal to you to communicate often about the humble sidewalk with your councilperson, the mayor and your neighbors.  If a new sidewalk appears to be planned in your neighborhood or you see one in development during your commute, engage with the developers, your councilperson and Public Works to make sure that it is planned correctly.  The only way to improve on our current Crazy Quilt of sidewalks is to starting fixing them correctly one by one.  We have a Sidewalk Plan - Let's use it so that we start to have a city of uniform well designed sidewalks.  

NASHVILLE NEEDS SIDEWALKS. 

Nashville needs well designed, high quality, and uniform sidewalks with adequate green buffers to provide shade.

That is the goal of Shade Parade Nashville & The Sidewalk Foundation.

If you or someone you know would like to put in a regulation sidewalk in front of your home or developement OR would like to make a donation to The Sidewalk Foundation contact thesidewalkfoundation@gmail.com

We also have Nashville Needs Sidewalk Bibs

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