A fatal crash has revived an enduring debate about Nashville's main downtown tourist district: Should Broadway be permanently closed to vehicle traffic?
What happened on Lower Broadway?
On a typical Saturday afternoon in one of Nashville's busiest pedestrian corridors, an 87-year-old driver from Kentucky ran a red light and struck several pedestrians. A 58-year-old man from Australia was killed, and three others were injured, including a 44-year-old man from Jacksonville, Florida; a 58-year-old woman from Parsons, Tennessee; and a 21-year-old woman from Knoxville, Tennessee.
The driver, along with his 90-year-old wife, who accompanied him in the vehicle, were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing as they work to determine
what caused the driver to run the red light. Police said the driver showed no signs of impairment.
Could Lower Broadway be closed to vehicle traffic?
Nevertheless, the incident has sparked discussion among stakeholders, including city officials and downtown business leaders, about the best way to improve pedestrian safety along Broadway.
It is not unusual for the corridor to be closed to vehicle traffic on Friday and Saturday nights or during major events such as Nashville's nationally televised Fourth of July celebration and CMA Fest.
Any decision to permanently close Broadway would require coordination among city leaders, the Nashville Downtown Partnership and state officials, including the Tennessee Department of Transportation, because Lower Broadway is a state-controlled roadway.
But we want to hear from you. Should Broadway be permanently closed to vehicle traffic to improve pedestrian safety?
Take our poll and let your voice be heard.
Tacuma R. Roeback is The Tennessean’s community engagement and opinion editor. Reach him at troeback@gannett.com or follow him onX, Bluesky or LinkedIn.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Should Lower Broadway be closed to vehicle traffic? Vote now | Poll
