Vision Zero Sees Red
🐂 Vision Zero: is Metro Council rushing to do more of what isn’t working? · More trimming, fewer outages? Metro wants NES to prove it · Lebanon Road gets more lanes · Much more!
Whitepilled with Scott Greer Join us Thursday, August 20 for a conversation with writer Scott Greer on how the online Right broke the old conservative order and built Trump's America. (Buy Ticket)
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Vision Zero: is Metro Council rushing to do more of what isn’t working?
From Megan Podsiedlik
Enraged by an uptick in pedestrian deaths—28 at the time—the council huffed and puffed through a Vision Zero conversation during its second meeting in July.
“We have constituents who are dying every day," said Councilmember Sandra Sepulveda.
“How many more people have to die or be hurt before they do something?” asked Councilmember Russ Bradford.
Zero Results, Maximum Vision The body was contemplating a non-binding resolution urging the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Transportation and the Mayor’s Office to renew and accelerate its commitment to Vision Zero.
Vision Zero is a traffic safety initiative aimed at eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries through safer street design, better enforcement, and data-driven improvements. Despite the city’s fixation on the vision over the last six years, the budget increases and initiatives don’t seem to be translating to pedestrian safety.
That didn’t stop the body from passing the resolution ahead of the sponsor’s original timeline. And for the council, “seeing red” carried more than one meaning.
When in Doubt, Double Down Members returned in August and passed a bill banning right turns at red lights during its first reading. The legislation has gained some momentum among Vision Zero advocates, particularly after the recent tragedy on Lower Broadway where a driver ran a red light and struck pedestrians in a crosswalk, killing one and seriously injuring others.
O’Connell Pumps the Brakes But Mayor Freddie O’Connell seems to be playing matador, trying to set the pace and rein in the Metro Council’s haste.
“We're going to have to do some examination of how No Right on Red interacts with state routes,” said O’Connell during last week’s media roundtable. “I think the scale that's been initially proposed, without any kind of pilot period or data capture in it, seems very quick.”
Instead, the mayor urged the council to “test it, pilot it, see where it might be the most effective in terms of…safety, [and] check on public acceptance” before prescribing such policies. His signature is also notably absent on the resolution asking his office to accelerate its commitment to Vision Zero.
✹ WHITEPILLED
Whitepilled with Scott Greer In his new book Whitepill, Scott Greer traces how the online Right broke the old conservative order and made Trump possible, a history he watched from inside both DC and the subcultures that displaced it. Join us Thursday, August 20 for a conversation on how the Right got here and what it takes to move from rebellion to governing.
Books will be available for purchase. This event benefits The Pamphleteer, Nashville and is priced with that in mind. Bard-level subscribers receive free, privileged admittance.
HEADLINES
- 🌳 NES Tree Trimming. Metro Council is asking Nashville Electric Service (NES) to provide data showing whether its more aggressive tree-trimming program is actually reducing power outages. The policy increased required clearance around power lines from 10 to 15 feet after this year’s ice storm knocked out power for 230,000 customers, but residents have complained about the way trees are being cut. NES says the wider clearance can also improve worker safety during repairs. (WSMV)
- 🛣 Mt. Juliet Lebanon Road widening. Mt. Juliet will receive $12 million in federal funding to widen Lebanon Road to five lanes between Curd Road and Park Glen Drive. The project is intended to address congestion driven by rapid growth in the area, with the city contributing about $3 million and roughly 80% of the widening costs expected to come from current and future federal grants. (NewsChannel 5)
- 🎥 Office of Entertainment. Mayor Freddie O’Connell has hired Sarah Childress, PhD, as the new executive director of Nashville’s Office of Entertainment, following legislation formally establishing the office within the Mayor’s Office. Childress was a top pick of the Entertainment Commission and brings experience across film, television, advertising, music, public media, academia, and community education. (Mayor’s Office)
✹ PROPERTY TAX CALCULATOR
What Moved Your Bill? Use our handy new tool to see what contributed to your property tax bill increase: the reappraisal or the rate hike. (Try It Out)
DEVELOPMENT
- Ellison Cool Springs launches with hundreds of luxury apartments (NBJ)
- JCPenney to close at CoolSprings Galleria (Post)
- East Bank 7-Eleven building razed (Post)
✹ METRO COUNCIL WATCH
New Council Watch Features We've added additional features to Council Watch. In addition to who's funding your council member, you can now see how they vote and who they vote with most frequently. (Take a Look)
THINGS TO DO
View our calendar for the week here.
📅 Visit our On The Radar list to find upcoming events around Nashville.
🎧 On Spotify: Pamphleteer's Picks, a playlist of our favorite bands in town this week.
👨🏻🌾 Check out our Nashville farmer's market guide.
TONIGHT
🪕 Brad Kaylor & Mineral Bluff Revue @ Station Inn, 8p, Info
+ contemporary bluegrass
🎸 Foreigner @ Ryman Auditorium, 7p, $94, Info
+ arena rock (non-derogatory)
🎸 Twang Tuesday @ Acme Feed & Seed, 7p, Free, Info
🎸 Honky Tonk Tuesday @ Eastside Bowl, 8p, $10, Info
+ two-step lessons @ 7p, The Cowpokes @ 8p
📰 Check out the full newsletter archive here.
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Today's newsletter is brought to you by Davis Hunt, Megan Podsiedlik, and Camelia Brennan.