NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Volunteers and city partners have extended a tactical urbanism project on Antioch Pike in South Nashville after more than a year of positive results, including a dramatic reduction in speeding.
What began as a one-year initiative has earned enough community support to continue, with neighbors saying they want the changes to stay in place at least another year while they search for more permanent safety solutions.
Old tires now narrow the busy four-lane road down to two lanes, slowing traffic along a one-mile stretch of Antioch Pike. Officials say more than 90% of drivers now stick to the speed limit since the changes were made.
The project is a collaboration between Glencliff neighbors, the Civic Design Center, NDOT, and Bridgestone. It uses a "tactical urbanism" approach — a neighbor-led strategy that relies on short-term, low-cost solutions to address community safety concerns.
Glencliff Neighborhood Association President Alexa Little said the street was dangerous before the project began.
"Antioch was a glorified racetrack on any given evening. There were people lining up in the lanes racing down the street. You could hear it blocks and blocks away. There were accidents. And then speeds overall were so high that people just didn't feel safe walking down the street," Little said.
The transformation has changed how residents use the street.
"It has been amazing. The transformation is just... I don't even know how to explain it," Little said.
Now, the street looks and feels different.
"You see people out biking and walking their kids and their dogs, people running," Little said.
Civic Design Center Projects and Operations Director Joe Mayes said community involvement has been central to the effort's success.
"It's really important for neighbors to come up with a problem, we identify a solution, and then they see that that solution works in the end, and so that's where we're really excited to see the ownership of the neighbors," Mayes said.
The street has also become a gathering place. Volunteers recently came together to paint a mural celebrating the diversity of the nearby elementary school.
"Hopefully makes people smile when they walk by and be curious of like, oh what am I seeing here, and maybe I'll come out on foot next time," mural artist Leah Samuelson said.
The project has received widespread support since it launched, Mayes said.
"We've had very positive feedback," Mayes said.
Little said neighbors hope the changes are here to stay.
"Neighbors along Antioch Pike love it and say they wish the tires would stay forever just because they feel much safer letting their kids out to play or walking to the store," Little said.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@NewsChannel5.com
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