NDOT proposes speed cushions, radar signs and bulb-outs for Shepherd Hills Drive; project to go to neighborhood ballot

The Nashville Department of Transportation on Jan. 27 presented a final design for traffic calming on Shepherd Hills Drive and nearby Spring Branch Drive that would install 10 sets of speed cushions, two radar feedback signs and curb-tightening bulb-outs at the Shepherd Hills/Spring Branch intersection, then advance the plan to a six-week neighborhood ballot that requires 66% favorable votes from eligible property owners to proceed to construction.

NDOT facilitator David Grieves said the Neighborhood Street Traffic Calming Program, or NSTC, focuses on residential streets and aims to reduce speeds to improve safety. “The primary goal of this program is speed reduction, and that ties directly into safety,” Grieves said, describing NDOT’s emphasis on engineering countermeasures rather than relying solely on enforcement or education.

Why this matters: Shepherd Hills was selected from more than 500 neighborhood applications and ranked in the top 25 for traffic calming needs, NDOT said. The agency cited a limited pre/post study of vertical measures that showed average speeds falling from 31 mph to 22 mph and the 85th-percentile speeds dropping from 37 mph to 25 mph on treated streets.

Key elements of the plan - Speed cushions: NDOT proposes 10 sets of cushions spaced along Shepherd Hills and Spring Branch. Shepherd Hills is narrower (about 20–22 feet) and will use two cushions across the lane; Spring Branch is wider…