Existing conditions, approx. 1,100+/- feet without a crosswalk across Rosa Parks Blvd. - this creates a barrier between Hope Gardens and the Farmer's Market / Bicentennial Mall. The fact that there is no crosswalk does not stop folks from crossing. It's too far out of the way to walk to one of the other crosswalks. And after the Farmer's Market closes most people won't use the crosswalk at the Farmer's Market because they must walk all the way around the block if they cannot pass through the market house to the park. A mid-block crosswalk at the Locklayer intersection will alleviate this problem and improve pedestrian safety.

More photos of people crossing...

This image illustrates how there is only one location to cross from our neighborhood shown in blue to the park shown in green. There are barriers to crossing, shown in red, especially after the farmer's market closes on weekdays.

It also overlays Public Works' Downtown Mobility Study and shows the proposed median on Rosa Parks that would make an ideal pedestrian refuge at this location. We are asking the city to construct this section of the median and the crosswalk as part of the new State Museum Project.

The new State Museum is planned for the site across from Row 8.9 and the KFC on Rosa Parks. The North Sheds of the Farmers' Market are planned to be torn down and a new parking lot and access constructed across from Locklayer Street.

During a public meeting on the project on February 25, 2016 I asked the project team if this crosswalk could be constructed as a part of the State Museum project. Rich Riebling, representing the Mayor's Office stated that he thought that it would be possible. We need to continue to ask that the section of median also be constructed to provide that essential pedestrian refuge in the middle.

We need to make sure that the median section is constructed and that left turns from the south-bound lane of Rosa Parks Blvd. are not permitted into this new entrance. A turn lane here would eliminate the median and therefore the pedestrian refuge. If someone needs to turn left into the parking lot, they can go to the light at the main entrance to the Farmers' Market.

People literally running for their life in between breaks in the traffic, others take a different risk and stand in the center lane with nothing to protect them

I’m very thankful to report, after years of work by many individuals, there may soon be a protected pedestrian crosswalk at Rosa Parks Blvd. and Locklayer Street.

“News 2 reached out to Metro Public Works who said, ‘Public Works has been coordinating with the State Museum project to move their curb. They've done that, and we have contractors out there making preliminary markings. As of now, we are looking at an August 13th for the installation with the goal of having the project - consisting of a push button crossing signal and pedestrian refuge - completed by late August.’"

https://www.wkrn.com/news/residents-call-for-crosswalk-on-nashville-street-with-heavy-traffic/1340569613

After hearing the need discussed for years among my neighbors and experiencing the frustration and danger of crossing this busy road myself on my way to work, I created this see-click-fix entry about the need for a mid-block crosswalk at this location in January of 2011. I’ve used it as a way to keep a record. We successfully lobbied to add the crosswalk to PW’s downtown mobility study with Council lady Erica Gilmore’s help in August of 2014. Rich Riebeling, Representing the Barry administration, committed to building the crosswalk as part of the museum project at a public meeting organized by Councilman Freddie O’Connell in February of 2016. I lost count of how many emails we’ve exchanged with public works between then and now to try to pin down a commitment from them to honor that promise the City made to our neighborhood. I was worried this project would become a victim of the change of administrations, thanks for you diligence and effort to finally get this done Freddie! Thank you also to the many individuals who contributed to making this a priority over the years, there are too many of you to name.

My only disappointment is that it took going to the media, after all this time and the patience our neighborhood has shown, to get a meaningful commitment with a specific timeline out of Public Works. It really should not have been this hard.

Crosswalk complete