Metro officials are in discussions with the Tennessee Department of Transportation about the city taking ownership of Broadway, the iconic downtown thoroughfare that is currently designated as a state highway.

Metro said the preliminary talks are not a precursor to ultimately closing down Lower Broadway to east-west traffic, but honky-tonk owners have already expressed their concern about the takeover. In a letter to TDOT on Wednesday, owners representing 15 Lower Broadway honky-tonks said they are worried about the state losing oversight of streetscaping improvements.

Metro hopes that a city takeover of Broadway would untangle the bureaucratic approval process for upgrades or when the road is shut down for events such as the CMA Music Festival. Under the current arrangement, if Metro wants to do streetscaping or other improvements, TDOT must sign off.

While the two sides have worked well together, a Metro takeover would simplify things.

"At this point in time, Metro Public Works is in preliminary discussions with TDOT regarding Broadway," Metro Public Works spokeswoman Kelly Brockman said. "This process is still in the very early stages and will become much more formalized in the next few months. There is not a timeline yet on that."

In a letter to TDOT Commissioner John Schroer, the honky-tonk owners expressed an array of concerns, especially that Metro may go forward with unwanted streetscaping work if the layer of state approval was removed.

Metro is planning a pilot project to widen a portion of sidewalk on Lower Broadway. The bar owners support that concept. But an earlier plan that called for outdoor seating and planters was not acceptable, they said.

“As we have expressed in person and in writing to Mayor Megan Barry’s office, we are adamantly opposed to changes to the streetscape like the addition of outdoor seating and planters,” the bar owners said in their letter. “Based on our experience such change tends to invite people who are not interested in being bona fide patrons of the restaurants and honky-tonks of Lower Broadway.”

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In the past, bar owners have expressed concerns that the long-term plan is to shut down the road to through traffic and only allow cross-over traffic on the numbered avenues. Brockman said there is no such plan.

"To answer (the) question about closing east to west traffic, no, there are no plans to close Broadway," Brockman said. "The only time Broadway will be closed is during large events, as we’ve done in the past. We have a great relationship with TDOT, and we look forward to continuing this discussion with them."

Brenda Sanderson, who co-owns four Lower Broadway honky-tonks, said merchants have been told there is no plan to block the road's through traffic.

"We are very happy about that and will continue to lobby for that to never happen," she said.

TDOT spokeswoman BJ Doughty said talks are very early and no formal plan has been brought forward by Metro.

If Metro were to take over Broadway, TDOT would have to re-route street signs to create a new state highway route through downtown. That project, which will cost about $300,000, is not yet underway. The pilot project won't impact musicians loading and unloading instruments for their gigs on Lower Broadway.

The pilot streetscaping project would widen the sidewalk and add large removable bollards that would add a layer of safety and replace the temporary bike racks that are currently there.

Reach Nate Rau at nrau@tennessean.com or 615-259-8094 and on Twitter @tnnaterau.