NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A new partnership between Lipscomb University and the Nashville Department of Transportation is using real-time traffic and pedestrian data to help city leaders identify safety risks before they turn deadly on Lower Broadway.
The effort comes after a deadly crash on Aug. 1, when four pedestrians were struck at Fourth Avenue and Broadway. Timothy Wedlock, 58, was killed, and three others were injured — including Dianne Cooper, a friend of Nashville resident Misty Morris.
"I don't want anybody else to have that call. I want people to be able to feel like they're safe going downtown and going to an event or going to whatever they need to go downtown for," Morris said.
Jacob Arthur, assistant dean of the School of Data Analytics at Lipscomb University, says students are analyzing how crowds, pedestrians and vehicles move through Lower Broadway in real time — using sensors and traffic data already collected downtown — to help city leaders spot safety risks sooner.
"Here is exactly one of the things we're trying to solve for, right? How can we lower the chances that events like this happen? How can we help make sure that safety is front of mind?" Arthur said.
The students are looking for patterns in the data that could give Metro Police and transportation officials better information before crowds become dangerous — whether that means redirecting traffic, adding officers or temporarily shutting down streets.
"We ought to be able to know there's going to be plus-120,000 people coming into downtown. We know based on history here's what that's likely to do to pedestrian traffic on Lower Broad. Here is the timing based on when those events are starting, when that influx of people is expected," Arthur said.
Arthur says the project was already underway before the August crash.
"Ultimately, it'll be up to the departments how they use those analytics, but our goal is to put more tools in the tool belt," Arthur said.
The project is funded through an inaugural Civic Tech Jam grant from the Nashville Innovation Alliance's Nashville Tech Studio, a nonprofit initiative that connects local universities and Metro departments to develop technology-driven solutions for Nashville's most complex civic challenges.
Students say they hope better data can help prevent another tragedy downtown.
"Pedestrians, they're there to have fun. They're there to make memories. And all it takes is one event and it just really ruins that," Arthur said.
This story was reported on-air by journalist Kelsey Gibbs and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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