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Arthur Avenue underpass lighting installation set for May; NDOT to manage maintenance under MOU
Summary
Metro Arts and Nashville Department of Transportation (NDOT) reported the Arthur Avenue underpass public-art lighting installation will be installed in May. The project used an invitational artist selection for technical reasons, and NDOT will hold maintenance responsibilities under a memorandum of understanding.
Metro Arts staff updated commissioners that the Arthur Avenue underpass public-art and lighting installation in North Nashville is scheduled for installation in May.
"We expect it will be installed in May," Anne Leslie, a Metro Arts staff member, said, adding that the artist will visit in late March to meet installers and update the community. The artist—identified in meeting materials as Alex Bridal—produced renderings of pixelated ceiling lights intended to brighten a long, historically dark underpass beneath multiple lanes of interstate traffic.
The project is a multi‑year effort coordinated with the Nashville Department of Transportation (NDOT). Leslie said NDOT and Metro Arts are developing a memorandum of understanding that will spell out maintenance responsibilities. "Right of ways are areas that they do maintain and are committed to doing that, for this project," Leslie told commissioners when asked about upkeep, trash, graffiti and lighting failures.
Commissioners asked about potential vandalism, green-space planting and touch-up painting for sidewalls. Leslie said the I-beam color was selected from a federal palette and that NDOT has staffing to touch up painted areas. Metro Arts also expects to hire Project Return—an organization that provides work experience for formerly incarcerated individuals—to assist as installers on the site so participants can gain on-the-job experience.
Staff described why the commission used an invitational approach rather than an open national call. The project required artists with proven experience in lighting and complex technical installations and the project timeline and community interest pushed Metro Arts to invite an artist with that expertise.
Why it matters: the underpass has long been a dark, underused corridor near Fisk University and community members flagged safety and maintenance concerns. The lighting installation aims to transform the space while NDOT will assume maintenance responsibilities per a forthcoming MOU.
Next steps: Metro Arts will finalize the artist visit schedule for late March, coordinate the installation timeline for May, and finalize the NDOT memorandum of understanding that defines maintenance responsibilities and touch-up schedules.
