Nashville's New Year Resolution, 2014 - to Increase Walkability?

Nashville - what is your New Year Resolution for 2014?

Shade Parade's New Year Resolution is to walk every day.  Getting out on foot will increase awareness of pedestrians and encourage others to do so, too. 

Be seen but be safe.  Nashville is not equipped in all locations for pedestrians.  To steal a phrase from driving - walk defensively.  

According to the Nashville-Davidson Country Strategic Plan for Sidewalks and Bikeways '75% of those people who do not walk, attribute this to lack of sidewalks in the area'. Less than half of the 1547 people surveyed by telephone felt that walking 'was safe, convenient and practical way to get from one place to another'.  An overwhelming 81% of respondents 'stated that they would like to have more sidewalks and bikeways in Davidson County'.  

What are the impediments to walking in Nashville?  

'The presence of well-designed pedestrian facilities … influences one's decision to walk for transportation'.  Another way to phrase this is that we suffer from poor urban design.  We haven't paid attention to creating spaces that are human scale in a long time.  

Most of the existing sidewalks in Davidson County are located in areas of the city that were developed prior to World War II - 1939!  New sidewalks exist in development created after mid-1990 due to an amendment that requires, for the 1st time, sidewalks on one side of a new street.  This amendment has been updated to require sidewalks on both sides of any new street.

For the Strategic Plan described above, a sidewalk inventory was performed.  There was 762 miles of sidewalks in Davidson County - nine miles of which was 'missing sidewalk segments' consisting of gaps of 1/4 mile or less in the continuity of the sidewalk.  

Problems included:

• Obstructions 
• Cracks
• Damaged segments
• Missing segments
• Excessive cross slope (ADA states max of 2% grade)
• Missing ramps (64% of current sidewalks lack ramps, 26% of current ramps are not ADA compliant) 

Only 0.5% of sidewalk blocks surveyed were free of problems.

I would argue that lighting and clearly identified cross walks (with crosswalk signs where appropriate) should be added to the list above.  Nashville's intersections, a place of elevated risk for pedestrians, frequently lack overhead lighting.  

Wear reflective clothing.  Carry a flashlight if you walk at night.  Driver error is the main cause of nearly four out of five serious pedestrian injuries according to NYC 2010 Pedestrian Safety Study.  

Shade Parade is committed to increasing walkability in Nashville.  You are encouraged to utilize your feet for transportation whenever possible. Until walkability improves, please walk defensively! 

Sources:  

• Nashville-Davidson County Strategic Plan for Sidewalks and Bikeways (2008)
• NYC Pedestrian Safety Study (2010)

Nashville.gov Strategic Sidewalk Plan - Update

Currently, I am reading the Nashville-Davidson County Strategic Plan for Sidewalks & Bikeways circa 2008 (updated).  I do not want it to be an exercise of wishful thinking.  Hence, the creation of Shade Parade.  

According to Jenna Smith from Public Works, an individual who has been more than helpful with my numerous questions, you can track Nashville's sidewalk progress at the website listed below.  

Unfortunately, the stats on progress seem alarmingly slow.  Funding is a major impediment.

1)      Per year, how many new feet of sidewalk has been put in? 

Today, through the sidewalk program as well as development requirements we have over 1,000 miles of sidewalks in Nashville and Davidson County.   Over the past 2 years, over 3 miles of new sidewalk have been constructed and over 20 miles of sidewalks have been repaired.

2)       How do I find out what sidewalks are currently being worked on?  What are the current locations of new sidewalks being put in?  

Current Metro PW sidewalk projects in construction are updated weekly at this link:    http://www.nashville.gov/Public-Works/Getting-Around-Nashville/Road-Closures.aspx. 

The site above currently shows: 

Sidewalk, NEW

• Baptist World Center Dr. from Gooch Dr. to Seminary St
• Clarksville Pk from Rosa L Parks Blvd to Cliff Dr
• Edgehill Ave from 12th Ave S to 13th Ave S

If you have a recommendation for a sidewalk creation or repair in Nashville - please let Shade Parade know. Images are really helpful in supporting an argument for a sidewalk request.

Sidewalk Project #3 - Walking From Woodlawn to Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN, Updated

In order to be ADA compliant, a sidewalk should be 32" wide MINIMUM from edge to obstruction.  

On Natchez Trace, between Woodlawn and Blair, in Nashville there are many sidewalk obstructions but most are in surprising compliance with the ADA rule of 32 inches. 

 Some are not.

Unlike the guy wires above, some impediments are simple to remedy.

Despite being ADA compliant, these bushes are a hindrance to walking.

If you have bushes or low hanging trees - trim them back so the sidewalk is as wide as possible.  

Optimally, Nashville.gov has proposed a sidewalk plan (http://mpw.nashville.gov/IMS/Sidewalks/StrategicPlan.aspx) that prescribes a 5' sidewalk combined with a 4' green or buffer zone similar to the image below.

Landscape Design Says 'Do Not Walk Here' or the Busy Corner of Woodmont and Hillsboro Pk, Nashville

The photo below sums up an overarching theme in walkability here in Nashville.  

Can you imagine trying to walk this?  Frankly, walking is difficult in Nashville.  This city was not designed with walking in mind.  Culturally, Nashvillians have not grown up as active pedestrians.  In the past, walking was not considered important.  Value was not placed on the luxury of connectivity walking affords.  Urban planning and design both were not emphasized.  

We recognized that there is no glamour left in sitting in bumper to bumper traffic. There is no chance of running into an old friend, seeing budding flowers about to burst forth, or experiencing the exhilaration of moving ones body.

Trends shows that people want the ease and the richness of throwing on some shoes and going about their business.  There are significant gains to using ones body to get from here to there. To name a few:  reduction in air pollution, decreased boredom, increased circulation, interesting encounters.

Unfortunately, in Nashville, the paucity of attention to walkability is blatantly obvious now.  And, desires have changed.  So, what to do?   

Shade Parade hopes to attract people who support walkability in Nashville.  Our main goal is to create walkscapes via sidewalks.

Please follow and share this blog.  

If you support more sidewalks in Nashville please become a friend of Shade Parade on our Facebook page.

 https://www.facebook.com/shadeparadenashville

Thank you in advance!   

Density in Nashville or Promoting Walking-Scapes to Increase the Richness of Life

Shade Parade argues for increased density in Nashville.  Think of a rich mix of shops, restaurants, homes and parks.  With this density - the creation of alluring walking-scapes will be required.  Sidewalks that allow for strolling and window shopping would be ideal.  

As Nashvillians know, there is little space or time left for increased vehicular traffic.  There is no joy in finding a parking space.  Nashville needs increased ways to get around on foot.  But it also needs comfortable walking spaces and eye catching things to view…

Density promotes connections and connections are the richness of life.

Sidewalks for Christmas in Nashville?

Who would like sidewalks for Christmas in Nashville?

Nashville High School Student Killed by Tractor Trailor in Nashville - Dec 19, 2013

This is a heartbreaking story of 17 year old girl who was killed in Nashville on Thursday, December 19th, while walking through a crosswalk mid-day on a clear sunny afternoon…

From Walk/Bike Nashville and very well said:



As motorists, we must accept our legal and moral duty to cede

 right of way to pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.

 About this issue State Law is unequivocal.

• Failure to yield to a pedestrian within a marked crosswalk is a violation of Tennessee State law.

• Even when motorists turn with a green light, pedestrians crossing with the light have the right of way.

• If no marked crosswalk exists, pedestrians passing through uncontrolled intersections still have the right of way.

Nashville High school student killed by vehicle