GALLATIN — Gallatin's explosive growth has residents and city officials alike concerned about whether infrastructure can keep pace with development, particularly when it comes to roads and traffic congestion.
"The sign coming into Gallatin was 'Gracious and Growing Gallatin.' There's nothing gracious about Gallatin right now. It's growing at a pace that's just unreal," said Vickie Hendrick, a lifelong middle Tennessean.
Hendrick is one of many residents raising concerns at city council meetings and in community conversations about the rapid development in this historic city, which according to the U.S. Census Bureau has seen its population explode by 53% in just 14 years.
"You know you're gonna put this many homes out on this area out here and you're not gonna widen the roads first?" Hendrick said.
The concerns have become so significant that Hendrick invited her city councilman to speak with us.
Pascal Jouvence, who represents District 3, said he ran for office because he felt his own concerns were being ignored.
"I think what we miss on the council side is common sense. Common sense is exploring all the options," Jouvence said.
At Campione's Taste of Chicago on Hancock Street, owner Geoff Russell suggested Gallatin could benefit from transportation solutions he experienced in his hometown.
"We're used to Chicago, you hop on a train and you can go anywhere within an hour or two. And there's really not that here. So people getting from Nashville to here is a struggle. You know, we've talked to people, 'Hey I'm stuck in traffic, I'm gonna be late for my food' and stuff," Russell said.
While the city's website lists several road improvement projects aimed at making roads larger and more accessible, many residents believe more comprehensive solutions are needed.
"They call us the north shore of Nashville for a reason," Hendrick said.
Some residents worry their concerns are being misconstrued as simple resistance to change.
"They always think that we're saying, 'Oh, it's in our backyard so we don't want it.' It's not that, it's just be respectful to the people that live in this area," Hendrick said.
Not everyone shares the same outlook on Gallatin's growth.
Kevin and Karen Berkley, retirees who moved to Gallatin from upstate New York in 2020, acknowledge the rapid development but maintain a positive view of their adopted hometown.
"Just Gallatin alone, in the five years we've been here, has grown exponentially," the Berkleys said, adding, "It's a spectacular community. We really liked the feel we got when we came here. People were so nice, it was very welcoming."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist 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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Happy Birthday to the YMCA of Middle TN. They just celebrated their 150th anniversary! A lot has changed with the Y over the years. I have personally seen some of that firsthand when I was a long-time board member at the Northwest Family Y and part of their Black Achievers Program. Forrest Sanders has a look back.
- Lelan Statom
