31st Avenue was on schedule to be resurfaced winter of 2023 from West End Avenue to Park Plaza due to the condition of the roadway. The Nashville Department of Transportation (NDOT) took the opportunity to include pedestrian safety enhancements at the same time as the resurfacing project. The department also used the opportunity to pilot a bikeway and then evaluate the pilot for all forms of transportation (people walking/biking/rolling/using transit/driving).
The final resurfacing project includes safety improvements for people walking and biking.
This corridor is on Nashville’s Vision Zero High-Injury Network. NDOT is now evaluating how 31st Ave improvements are performing for all users.
Take the 31st Ave N post-construction evaluation survey.
31st Ave North between West End Ave and Park Plaza
District 21: Council Member Brandon Taylor
The following enhanced pedestrian crossings include Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs):
The pilot bikeway was installed October 2023, repurposing one driving lane in each direction to accommodate the bikeway. The 31st Ave North bikeway is included in the 2022-2024 WalknBike three-year work plan to be designed and constructed.
The project team conducted community engagement and traffic analysis to evaluate the pilot bikeway.
Feedback and analysis:
Feedback on the pilot was sharply divided. The majority of respondents were drivers who felt that the bikeway did not work well; however, the majority of respondents who use bicycles, scooters, and buses felt that the bikeway did work well. The most frequent concerns focused on the merge at West End Avenue, congestion, and parking in the bike lane. Responding to these concerns, the bikeway plans were improved to better serve the community's specific travel needs.
The traffic study found that for most of the day, traffic continues to flow with minimal delays/queuing. During peak hours, the lane reduction has resulted in moderate increases in queuing at some intersections. Overall this contributes to approximately 0-30 seconds of additional travel time for drivers along the full length of the corridor during peak hours. Some of this impact can be reduced through signal timing improvements. The study also found that the pilot has reduced observed vehicle speeds on the corridor, improving safety. Average driver speeds on the corridor have reduced from 34 mph to 29 mph, and the changes have almost completely eliminated driver speeds over 40 mph.
