One of the first major transportation projects funded through Nashville’s voter-approved Choose How You Move program is moving into its next phase, as Metro officials have selected an engineering firm to begin planning and design work for the Nolensville Pike All-Access Corridor.
Metro’s Choose How You Move program, working in partnership with WeGo Public Transit, has selected HDR to lead planning and project development for the nearly nine-mile corridor, which stretches from downtown Nashville through South Nashville along one of the city’s busiest and most diverse transportation routes.
The project is designed to improve safety, expand transportation options and make travel more efficient for motorists, transit riders, cyclists and pedestrians.
Approved by 66% of Nashville voters in November 2024, the Choose How You Move transportation improvement program provides funding for major investments in roads, sidewalks, transit and bicycle infrastructure throughout Davidson County. The Nolensville Pike project is among the first large-scale corridor improvements to move into the development stage.
Planned improvements include higher-frequency bus service, transit-only lanes where practical, upgraded traffic signals and transit signal priority to help buses move more efficiently through congested intersections. The project also calls for new and improved sidewalks, safer pedestrian crossings, bicycle connections, smart traffic signal technology and other safety enhancements that will be refined through engineering studies and community input.
Mayor Freddie O’Connell said the project represents an important investment in one of Nashville’s most heavily traveled corridors.
“As Nashville grows, we have a responsibility to make our roads safer and our city more connected,” O’Connell said. “For the first time this century, we’re bringing significant improvements to Nolensville Pike. Advancing the Choose How You Move Nolensville Pike All-Access Corridor into project development is a major step toward delivering the safer streets, better sidewalks and more reliable transit options our community deserves.”
Steve Bland, chief executive officer of WeGo Public Transit, said Nolensville Pike already serves as one of the agency’s busiest transit corridors and that the improvements are intended to build on that demand.
“We’re focused on improving travel times, reducing delays and creating a better overall experience for transit users,” Bland said. “Bringing a consultant on board allows us to move into the next phase of planning and design with a clear focus on performance and results.”
HDR was selected through a competitive qualifications-based process and will oversee several key elements of the project, including evaluating transportation alternatives, preparing preliminary engineering and concept designs, conducting environmental reviews required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and positioning the project to compete for federal funding through the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grants program.
Choose How You Move Chief Program Officer Sabrina Sussman said Nolensville Pike was selected early in the program because of its transportation and safety needs.
“Nolensville Pike has some of the most pressing safety needs in our corridor network,” Sussman said. “Advancing vendor selection moves us from program vision to real, on-the-ground delivery where it’s needed most.”
HDR Nashville Program Lead Brian Reynolds said the firm looks forward to working with residents, businesses and community organizations throughout the planning process.
The project will be coordinated through a partnership involving the Choose How You Move Program Office, WeGo Public Transit, the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT), Metro Planning, the Tennessee Department of Transportation, and federal transportation agencies.
Officials estimate the initial planning and project development phase will take two to three years before the project advances to final engineering and construction. During that time, Metro plans to hold extensive public meetings and gather community feedback to help shape the final design.
While long-term planning continues, several improvements are already underway along Nolensville Pike through the Choose How You Move program. WeGo has increased bus frequency during peak commuting hours and expanded service to Glencliff High School on school days. Metro’s Information Technology Services Department has also extended fiber infrastructure through the corridor in preparation for upgraded traffic signals that will eventually connect buses and intersections to NDOT’s Traffic Management Center, allowing traffic operations to be monitored and managed more efficiently.
City officials say those early improvements, combined with the long-term corridor project, are intended to create a safer, more reliable transportation network for the thousands of residents, workers and visitors who travel Nolensville Pike each day.
