NDOT engineer says speed cushions are not planned for Greer Road as residents press for truck limits and targeted fixes

David Greavves, a civil engineer with the Nashville Department of Transportation (NDOT), told residents at a Jan. 21 virtual meeting that NDOT is treating a five‑mile Greer Road traffic‑calming application differently from more urban projects and does not intend to propose speed cushions across the corridor.

“The 85th‑percentile speed we measured at the counter was 45 miles an hour,” Greavves said, noting he would follow up with the exact counter location. He added that Greer’s length and rural context make cushions a poor fit and that NDOT will focus on targeted options informed by resident input.

The meeting, held on WebEx and publicized through NDOT channels and a council member’s social post, drew strong opposition to vertical speed devices. Multiple residents and business owners argued cushions would damage vehicles, impede emergency response and be generally unsuitable for a rural road used by tractors, trailers and delivery trucks.

One local business owner who identified his company as Junk Remedy said his vehicles and crews would be harmed by cushions and urged NDOT to prioritize enforcement and spot treatments instead: “The amount of wear and tear on the amount of people’s cars that actually live on Greer Road is going to be catastrophic,” the owner said, adding that he avoids roads with speed cushions and fears longer emergency response times.

Residents described safety concerns of a different sort: heavy cut‑through truck traffic using Greer and nearby connectors (Union Hill, Liken and Dry Creek) and a series of sharp turns and poor sight lines at the Liken/Dry Creek intersection. Participants requested NDOT consider restricting through truck movements, improving signage, trimming sight‑line trees and pursuing targeted geometry fixes such as a roundabout at critical intersections.

Greavves said some of those requests fall outside the agency’s typical traffic‑calming toolbox but that NDOT would coordinate with partners and investigate options. “We’re willing to look into and discuss with our partners at NDOT any ideas that you have,” he said regarding truck restrictions and signage; he also recommended residents submit enforcement requests through Hub.Nashville so Metro Police could consider targeted radar enforcement.

NDOT walked through the broader toolbox — speed cushions and tables, radar feedback signs, narrowing and pavement markings, chicanes, pinch points and traffic circles — and emphasized many tools are more appropriate for denser urban streets. Staff said cushions require a ballot (approval by two‑thirds of affected voters) but that, given the meeting’s overwhelmingly negative feedback, NDOT anticipates designing non‑balloted, lower‑intensity measures such as signage, radar feedback and spot safety work.

Attendees also raised outreach concerns: NDOT’s mailing list covers Davidson County residents, and several participants noted many Greer Road households are in neighboring Robertson County and may not have received notice. NDOT staff said they would share meeting materials, follow up after a planned site visit, and schedule a second meeting to present draft concepts based on the input.

Jennifer Webb (council member) provided an email for ongoing contact (jennifer.web@nashville.gov) and encouraged residents to share contact details. NDOT promised to look up the precise speed counter location, consider radar feedback on the measured straight section, inspect hazardous trees and the Liken/Dry Creek intersection, and coordinate with other departments on tree trimming and truck‑restriction signage.

Next steps: NDOT will conduct a field visit along Greer Road, evaluate specific problem locations raised by residents, coordinate with partner agencies on truck signage and sight‑line remedies, and present a draft design at a future public meeting. No formal vote or ballot was taken at the session.