WalknBike To Continue To Collect Public Input for Plan Update

4/19/2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – More than 150 community members attended the first public meeting at the Nashville Public Main Library to kick off the 2016 Strategic Plan for Sidewalks and Bikeways Update, known as WalknBike. Meeting participants heard remarks from Mayor Megan Barry; Mark Macy, Public Works Director; and listened to a presentation and project overview from the project team.

In her remarks, Mayor Megan Barry highlighted the importance of the WalknBike project, saying that creating a plan to make Nashville a more pedestrian- and bike-friendly city is one of her top priorities. “Working together as a community to improve the safety and accessibility of our streets for pedestrians and bicyclists is the focus of this project, and we want to hear from you, “said Mayor Barry. “Together we will determine what is best for our community, and for our quality of life.”

Since WalknBike began recording feedback online last month, the project team has collected nearly 1,600 responses to the survey. 83% of residents taking the survey disagree that walking is a “safe, convenient and practical way” to get around Nashville. The most common impediments to walking listed included a lack of sidewalks, sidewalks in poor condition and safety concerns. Nearly 80% of residents taking the survey disagree that biking is a “safe, convenient and practical way” to get around Nashville. The most common impediments cited include unsafe roadways and a lack of bicycle infrastructure. Over 2,700 Nashvillians have commented on the WalknBike project’s interactive map. The interactive map allows citizens to provide their thoughts and concerns, and to identify project opportunities for creating a more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly Nashville-Davidson County.

“We’ve heard loud and clear from the public that we must continue to increase our efforts to make Nashville a more walk-able and bike-able community. The WalknBike Project team and steering committee look forward to hearing from and working with citizens from every corner of our community about what they want to see in our future plans,” said Jason Radinger WalknBike Project Manager.

After kickoff remarks and a project overview and presentation, members of the WalknBike project team and Steering Committee met with citizens at public input stations which included:

Station #1: Address Map: Participants asked to place a dot to identify where they live

Station #2: Project Overview and Previous Planning Efforts: Project schedule, planning process, goals and key outcomes

Station #3: Current prioritization methodology review and preference options for public input (bicycle facility types, streetscape amenities, etc.)

Station #4: Public Statements: Large boards for the public to place sticky notes to answer the following questions:

Walking in Nashville is/should be…



Biking in Nashville is/should be…



I would walk/bike more if…

Station #5: Map Exercise: Large poster of the comments received to date on the online interactive map; Existing condition maps; Workstation to view and comment on the interactive map

Station #6: User Survey; Hard copy user survey’s for participants to complete

The WalknBike Steering Committee met on April 14. The Committee began organizing into subcommittees which will include Outreach and Education, Design Practices, Policy and Enforcement, and Prioritization Methodology.

WalknBike will continue to collect feedback at events, conduct a peer and aspirational city comparison, and evaluate the pedestrian and bicycle network and prioritization process in Nashville. Additional public meetings will be held throughout the spring and summer.