Nashville granted millions of dollars in federal funding for Nolensville Pike safety improvements

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The federal government is sending millions of dollars to a road in Nashville that’s known for pedestrian deaths.

On Wednesday, U.S. Department of Transportation officials announced $13 million in federal funding will be given to Nashville for the “We Are Nolensville Pike” transportation safety improvement project.

“We Are Nolensville Pike is a project that’s part of our Vision Zero effort. It’s along Nolensville between McCall Street and Hayward Lane,” said Diana Alarcon, the director of the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT).

The project is part of the city’s effort to achieve zero fatalities and serious injuries on Nashville roadways, including Nolensville Pike—a particular stretch of road where several deadly traffic incidents have been reported recently.

“When we did our Vision Zero initiative, Nolensville Pike was actually identified as being on our high injury network, and so we felt like there was a great opportunity there to really target in, since we have, unfortunately, lost some folks to pedestrian deaths, to really look and dive into using these dollars, which were created at the federal level to focus in on Vision Zero initiatives,” said Alarcon.

NDOT plans to work with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), WeGo Public Transit, and other community partners to implement the improvements.

Mayor Freddie O’Connell said in part in a statement:

“This investment in the people of Nashville is going to allow us to add and repair sidewalks, add pedestrian-scale lighting, improve crosswalks and bus stops, and add mid-block crossings and more along one of the city’s busiest and most dangerous corridors.”

According to local officials, $3.2 million dollars in local money will also be put toward the project, totaling $16.3 million.

“We’ll have a much better idea about how the milestones are going to be set up and what we can share with the community about expectations and delivery on different things once we get that award notice from the federal government,” said Alarcon.

In the meantime, officials say the funding represents a new era of safety on Nolensville Pike.

“We’re going to really be able to make a difference in the quality of life in the residents that live in that area, and we’re really excited about that,” said Alarcon.