by Heather Graf
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A bumpy and cracked sidewalk that's become a safety hazard for pedestrians in Hillsboro Village will soon get some much-needed repairs.
Metro Public Works plans to replace each broken brick, starting Monday.
Business owners in the area say it can't happen soon enough.
"You know, we see people fall all the time. It's dangerous," said Rodney Mitchell, who owns Rodney Mitchell Salon on 21st Avenue. "Starting at the service station, and mostly around trees."
He's talking about the roots of several trees in the area, that have displaced bricks as they grow, and several times a day, cause people to trip.
"Usually women in high heels, that's the main thing," he said.
In an area that depends on foot traffic to get people in the doors of their shops and restaurants, business owners and patrons say a smooth sidewalk is essential.
"I think it's money well spent," said Lindsey Grissom. "It's a lot more expensive to take care of injuries, and to have people not enjoy the time they spend here, or to avoid the businesses and restaurants in the area."
Gwen Hopkins-Glascock, who is the spokesperson for Metro Public Works, says they worked closely with business owners, to come up with a solution to the problem.
"Pretty much block by block, we won't have the entire two to three block area torn up at once," she said. "We're going to try to do it in block to block sections to minimize the impact."
As part of the project, crews will also install bike racks throughout the Hillsboro Village area.
Hopkins-Glascock says vehicle traffic won't be affected while they work, but some on-street parking may be unavailable during construction.
The pricetag of the sidewalk improvement project is about $167,000, paid for with a federal transportation grant, and matching funds from Metro.
Work will start Monday, weather permitting, and is expected to be complete by mid-summer.
email: hgraf@newschannel5.com
