The Connect Downtown project team has released a comprehensive look at the current state of transportation in Downtown Nashville. Informed by data analysis and public input, the State of Downtown Mobility Report looks at who lives in, works in and visits downtown and the mobility systems that support them. From walking and rolling, to biking and scooting, to driving and parking, the report shares findings that will be used to shape multimodal improvements:
- Downtown Nashville is home to 14,000 residents and welcomes 63,000 commuting workers every day.
- Today, 10 miles of Downtown’s sidewalks are in poor condition.
- In August 2022, scooter riders took more than 5,000 trips a day.
- In 2021, 5% of traffic collisions downtown—that’s 200 collisions—were severe injuries or fatalities.
- There are 2,000 on-street parking meters in Downtown and 45,000 off-street parking spaces.
- In 2019, WeGo transported 8.8 million passengers to, from, and within Downtown.
- Nashvillians spent an average of 43 hours in traffic congestion in 2021.
The State of Downtown Mobility Report also identifies eight focus areas for Connect Downtown that are based on the challenges and opportunities the project team has and will continue to explore. From prioritizing travel modes, to better managing events and visitor traffic, there are many quick wins and longer-term strategies that will be needed to keep Downtown moving.
Connect Downtown is a project combining the efforts of The Nashville Department of Transportation & Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT), WeGo Public Transit, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), and the Nashville Downtown Partnership. The project is developing an ambitious, yet realistic plan to fund and implement projects and programs that serve the growing mobility needs of downtown, the city and the region. Connect Downtown will include traffic and curbside management strategies, transit improvements, walking, rolling and biking projects, and Vision Zero safety strategies.
