Nashville's NDOT begins Lot 2 Road traffic calming project to enhance pedestrian safety

Residents of Nashville are set to see significant changes aimed at improving safety on Lock 2 Road, as the city moves forward with its neighborhood street traffic calming program. During a recent meeting on March 19, 2025, city officials and traffic engineers discussed the urgent need for measures to reduce speeding on residential streets, particularly Lock 2 Road, which was selected for traffic calming last fall.

The traffic calming program, which has gained popularity among Nashville residents, focuses on implementing physical changes to streets to encourage slower driving speeds. The program is driven by three key components: education, enforcement, and engineering. Traffic engineers highlighted the critical link between vehicle speed and pedestrian safety, noting that a pedestrian's chance of survival decreases significantly as vehicle speeds increase. For instance, at 25 miles per hour, a pedestrian has an 89% chance of survival, but this drops to just 35% at 45 miles per hour.

Lock 2 Road was chosen from a pool of 480 applications based on a data-driven prioritization methodology that considers factors such as vehicular speed, traffic volume, and the presence of nearby destinations like parks and schools. The program aims to select 25 streets every six months for traffic calming measures, with Lock 2 Road being one of the latest additions.

In addition to the traffic calming measures, the meeting also introduced HUB Nashville, a resource for residents to report maintenance issues and request city services. This tool is designed to enhance communication between citizens and city departments, ensuring that community concerns are addressed promptly.

As Nashville continues to grapple with speeding on residential streets, the Lock 2 Road traffic calming initiative represents a proactive step towards enhancing safety for pedestrians and drivers alike. The city is committed to implementing these changes and monitoring their effectiveness in the coming months.