David Greaves, an engineer with the Department of Transportation (NDOT), presented a preliminary traffic-calming plan for Sabre Drive during a virtual neighborhood meeting on Nov. 4, 2025, and said the project could proceed to a property-owner ballot after design refinements.

Greaves said the Sabre Drive application — selected in March 2025 from more than 600 submissions and ranked in the top 25 — reflects observed conditions near Wright Middle School. ‘‘One of the primary goals of the program is speed reduction,’’ Greaves said, noting NDOT observed an 85th‑percentile speed of about 32 miles per hour and roughly 957 vehicles per day on the corridor. Those measurements helped shape NDOT’s draft design, which combines speed cushions and bulb-outs to lower speeds and shorten pedestrian crossings.

NDOT’s traffic‑calming program focuses on residential streets and emphasizes engineering interventions over enforcement or education when possible. Greaves described speed cushions as roughly 3 inches high with gaps to allow emergency vehicles to pass, and said NDOT’s limited pre/post study showed average speeds falling from about 31 mph to 22 mph after vertical measures were installed. ‘‘A successful project has 66% of respondents vote yes,’’ Greaves said when explaining the upcoming balloting rules.

Why this matters: Sabre Drive lacks sidewalks along portions of the corridor and borders Wright Middle School, increasing the stakes for reducing vehicle speeds and improving pedestrian safety. Lowering speeds improves pedestrian survivability in crashes, NDOT noted during the presentation.

What NDOT proposed and why: The draft plan places speed cushions where driveway patterns and clearance allow, and uses striped bulb‑outs with flexible delineators at the Hewlett Drive intersection to visually tighten turn radii and reduce crossing distance. Greaves said the alternating driveway layout limits where cushions can be installed and that NDOT identified two feasible cushion locations; for one location NDOT extended an intersection to meet clearance needs.

Design alternatives discussed included radar‑feedback signs, lane‑narrowing striping, single‑lane chicanes on wider streets, and traffic circles for larger intersections. Greaves said the team will balance effectiveness with tradeoffs such as parking impacts and emergency vehicle access.

Resident questions and staff follow-up: A participant asked whether a painted or separated five‑foot walking path — similar to a facility on San Marcos described by the attendee — could be added. Greaves said NDOT will consult partner agencies and check the available street width (NDOT typically needs roughly 18–20 feet of travel‑lane width to preserve functionality) before concluding feasibility and added, ‘‘I will look into the walking path concept and get back with you all.’’

Ballot and timeline details: NDOT described the validating ballot process: NDOT will mail a postcard ballot to owners of parcels that touch Sabre Drive (residential owners only; businesses and vacant parcels are ineligible). Each eligible owner receives one vote regardless of how many parcels they own; the ballot period will remain open for six weeks, and a project requires at least 66% of returned ballots to be a successful 'yes' outcome.

Next steps: NDOT said staff completed a site visit and data collection, will finalize the design with adjustments based on resident input and feasibility checks, and then will either hold a second neighborhood meeting or post plans online and start the ballot. Greaves asked residents to share contact information for follow-up and invited input via Engage Nashville and the project’s online survey.

The meeting adjourned after a final offer to answer questions and a promise from staff to follow up on the walking‑path feasibility and next scheduling steps.