The Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT) is launching an Open Streets Program in partnership with Walk Bike Nashville, making car-free streets and block parties even more accessible to Nashville’s neighborhoods. Commonly known as block parties, Open Streets are community-based opportunities to temporarily make street space available to people by closing them to cars and other motor vehicles. Open Streets is part of Nashville’s Vision Zero initiative.
Open Streets Community Guide and Toolkit
Check out our comprehensive neighborhood guide to planning an Open Street in your community.
Host an Open Street
Apply for a block party permit to host a neighborhood open street.
Open Streets Sign Share
Request materials from the NDOT sign share to host your open street.
Questions: Email openstreets@nashville.gov.
Attend an Open Street
You can follow Walk Bike Nashville’s planned Open Streets for opportunities to attend Open Streets across Nashville. The summer of 2025 will be the first year NDOT and Walk Bike Nashville are partnering to host the Open Streets Summer Series in Downtown Nashville. We’ll close a five-mile loop to cars and invite Nashville to walk, bike, and explore from noon to 5 p.m. on July 20, August 17, and September 7.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which permit do I use?
There are three possible permits for Open Streets depending on the type of Open Street you’re planning:
If you’re planning a long-term, partial street closure, also known as a Slow Street, submit a tactical urbanism application with the Project Type of “Right-of-Way Closure”.
If you’re planning a one-day closure on a neighborhood street, expecting less than 75 participants at any given time, and not planning to place any structures in the street, submit a block party permit application via ePermits.
If you’re planning a one-day closure on a Collector or Arterial-Boulevard roadway, expecting more than 75 participants at any given time, and expect to place any structures on the road, submit a special events permit.
How do I know whether a road is a neighborhood, collector, or arterial-boulevard road?
It’s important to know how NDOT classifies the road you want to plan your Open Street on. If it’s a neighborhood street, it’s eligible for a block party permit. If it’s a collector or arterial boulevard, you’ll need a special events permit.
To find out, open the Major and Collector Street Plan and type in the name of the road. If the street has a purpose or red color, it is a collector or arterial boulevard. If it does not have a color, it is a neighborhood street.
Another way to tell on the Major and Collector Street Plan is by looking at the three-part code for the street. If the code has the letters “AB” or “CA”, that means it’s an arterial boulevard or collector road.
One indicator a road is a neighborhood street is if the posted speed limit is 25 mph, and there aren’t any striped lines on the roads. It’s still important to double check the Major and Collector Street Plan to confirm.
How much does it cost to get a permit for an Open Street?
For a Neighborhood Open Street, the block party application is free.
For an Open Streets Festival, the special events permit costs vary. They are at least $430 for the base permits.
For Slow Street, the tactical urbanism permit application is free.