How “Choose How You Move” affects Old Hickory
July’s neighborhood meeting hosted two guests on behalf of the Choose How You Move proposal. Kendra Abkowitz, Senior Director of Sustainability and Resilience, and Jeff Morris, Executive Director of How Nashville Moves, discussed the importance of the proposal for Davidson County as a whole and its specific impact on District 11.
The intention of the plan is to both decrease Davidson County traffic each year and increase safety for drivers and pedestrians. Nashvillians currently spend more than 56 hours per year in traffic, and with nearly 100 people moving to the area per day, it is anticipated that number will continue to grow.
Choose How You Move would let Nashville access $1.4 billion in federal matched funding, reducing the cost for local taxpayers. We currently pay federal taxes, but our city does not currently have access the funds. Essentially, the transit plan would allow our federal tax dollars to be used locally.
There would still be a local sales tax increase of 0.5% to help fund the plan. Estimates place this at roughly $6 per household each month. 60% of Nashville sales tax is funded by tourists each year.
The plan contains the installation of sidewalks in three locations in Old Hickory:
Fowler Street from Robinson Road to Cunningham Street
Industrial Drive/Robinson Road from Creedmore Drive to the Robinson Rowhouses entrance
State Route 45 from Rio Vista Drive in Madison to Hickory Industrial Drive
The board flagged concern over a total lack of sidewalks in parts of Old Hickory, particularly Rayon City. Abkowitz and Morris stated that with how this proposal is funded, more NDOT funding can be freed up elsewhere for projects like sidewalks.
Stoplights on Robinson Road and Old Hickory Boulevard would be upgraded with sensors that respond to oncoming vehicles instead of operating on a fixed, timed loop. These stoplights account for seven of the 600 planned upgrades intended to keep traffic flowing smoothly throughout Davidson County.
Our nearest “Park and Ride” locations to drive to areas with more extensive public transit coverage would be in Madison and Hermitage. Additionally, parts of Old Hickory will qualify for a WeGo Link program the discounts Uber rides to bus stops.
Other plans of note include low and no fare options for qualifying students, veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income residents. Areas designated for complete streets and redesigned all-access corridors will have ADA sidewalk warning pads for the visually impaired. Finally, there would be expansion of WeGo access including specialized vans for persons with disabilities who are unable to use fixed-route transit service.
The full map can be viewed here.
