NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro Council Member Emily Benedict says she will introduce a bill that would close a portion of Broadway to traffic on weekends.
Benedict, who represents District 7, said in a tweet Monday morning that the bill would restrict all car traffic between First and Fifth Avenue from noon Friday to midnight Sunday.
I wrote a bill months ago but didn’t file b/c ppl were crazy downtown.
— Emily Benedict (@emilyfor7) September 7, 2020
Now, I plan to intro it at next council mtg on 9/15. Will close all car traffic, Fri at noon to Sun at midnight. Broadway between 1st & 5th Aves and one block on either side.
What do you think? Support? https://t.co/OvchoiAUNc
It’s a concept Benedict has seen in other major pedestrian destinations and she believes Nashville could easily adopt the same principals.
“I believe it will help us control the social distancing and it will help businesses stay open and serve as many people in a safer way then they are doing today,” Benedict said.
Parked cars would be replaced with table and chairs. Benedict says any business without outdoor space on Broadway could use this to expand their capacity. What this bill may have a hard time addressing is what to do with the long lines of people waiting outside any given bar. If what we saw over the Labor Day weekend is any indication, long lines aren’t going any where as long as the current restrictions on capacity hold still.
We asked around and most were skeptical about making any changes to Broadway. Others who were in favor of the change also drew comparisons to other city’s across the country who have successfully adopted the same policy.
Benedict plans to introduce the bill at the next Metro Council meeting on September 15.
On Sunday, Mayor John Cooper announced Broadway would be closed between Fourth and Fifth Avenue to promote social distancing by giving pedestrians more space.
Cooper did not say if the city will implement another traffic closure at some point. Right now, the city remains in its modified Phase Two plan of reopening.
If you’re asking why now, Benedict says it comes down to more people wearing masks and showing their capable of following the rules.
If that means we know what to do when given the space, Benedict says what better place to start than Broadway?
