A new pilot program is trying to keep pedestrians from oncoming traffic. As more and more people move to Nashville, more cars can be found cutting-through neighborhood streets.
Now, Metro Public Works and Metro Nashville Police have teamed up to create the first-ever walking district in the Hillsboro-West End neighborhood.
“This neighborhood has been interested in traffic calming and having cars pass slowly and respectfully through our neighborhood for many, many years," said Burkley Allen, a councilwoman for Nashville’s Metro Council District 18.
“Cities are becoming more densely populated, more pedestrian oriented,” she said.
Allen said lowering the speed limit within the walking district from 30 mph to 20 mph and speeds on collector streets from 35 to 25 just makes sense.
“The statistics for survival are much better at 20 miles-per-hour than they are at 30 or at 40,” she added.
The goals of the walking district are consistent with Nashville’s commitment to "vision zero," a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities.
