Metro Nashville has been awarded two Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants by the US Department of Transportation. The Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure has received a $10 million grant for projects on Nolensville Pike, while WeGo Public Transit has been granted $1.9 million to improve bus services on Murfreesboro Pike, which is the city’s busiest transit route.
Mayor Freddie O’Connell expressed enthusiasm about the grants, stating, “These competitive grants will help us accelerate improvements on two of our busiest roads that were a priority of our Choose How You Move program. We’re excited to be able to showcase how smarter streets are safer streets, especially on some of our most dangerous roads.”
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The $10 million grant awarded to the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT) will be utilized for Phase II of the city’s Leveraging Advanced Data to Deliver Multimodal Safety (LADDMS) initiative. This phase aims to enhance safety for vulnerable road users along the Nolensville Pike corridor and expand upon improvements made in Phase I. The project will employ sensing, analytics, and interventions initially tested in Phase I to more extensively address safety concerns. The focus will include improving pedestrian and cyclist safety along the High Injury Network (HIN), as detailed in Nashville’s Vision Zero Action Plan.
Phase II’s key components involve using LiDAR technologies to gather and evaluate “near-miss” data, continuously recording and analyzing safety data to assess the effectiveness of interventions, and expanding the project’s reach to engage the Nolensville Pike community as well as North Nashville communities.
The LADDMS initiative is a crucial part of Nashville’s broader Vision Zero strategy, which seeks to eliminate all traffic-related fatalities and severe injuries by leveraging advanced data and innovative technologies. NDOT Director Diana Alarcon commented on the progress, stating, “We are excited to see the continued success and expansion of the LADDMS project. This funding will allow us to implement cutting-edge safety measures more broadly and ensure safer streets for all Nashvillians.”
In addition to NDOT’s grant, WeGo Public Transit received $1,982,235 to optimize high-frequency bus services on Murfreesboro Pike through artificial intelligence enhancements. This includes implementing computer-aided dispatch, automated vehicle location systems, and traffic-adaptive signals. WeGo CEO Steve Bland emphasized the importance of these improvements, noting, “Murfreesboro Pike (Route 55) has the highest ridership in our system. This funding will allow us to acquire the technology needed to provide more predictable service on a high-frequency route with many traffic issues.”
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has allocated $100 million annually for the SMART Grants program, with funds directed toward technological improvements to address community challenges.
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Road Construction Updates in West Tennessee
The Tennessee Department of Transportation has announced upcoming lane closures in Region 4, West Tennessee, from December 11 to December 18, 2024, for repair and installation projects across 21 counties. The closures will affect major roads such as SR-76, US-79, I-155, and US 70, among others, with specific work in counties like Carroll, Dyer, Gibson, Chester, and Shelby. Drivers are advised to check travel conditions and use resources like TNSmartWay.com/Traffic for updates and detour information.