Page 6 - May-June2018

NASHVILLE By Diane Regensburg, P.E.
A Connector Named “Division”
Designing a New Bridge in Urban Nashville

It’s no secret that Nashville’s Stakeholder involvement was The space in question was being used for
population is growing rapidly. And with imperative to the project’s success. passenger pickup and drop-off parking
the ongoing boom of our capital city First, the design team worked with as well as package drop-offs. The design
comes a dedicated focus on connectivity appraisers to assess the property, then team negotiated with Greyhound and
and health by city leaders and planners. it collaborated with Metro Nashville’s subsequently modified the roadway
Infrastructure is a big piece of the property group for dialogues with design to reach an agreeable solution.
puzzle. Transportation projects, when property owners that would be affected. But the project also required acquisition
designed well, can not only alleviate Buyouts were integral in bringing the of a small, successful market across
congestion but also play a major role in project to fruition. A tire building and from the station. The team worked with
supporting quality of life in a multitude a garage below the proposed bridge had the shop owner to relocate his market
of ways. By creating safer roadways to be acquired and then demolished in within the remaining property, as a
that accommodate drivers, cyclists and order to comply with a local ordinance move to a new part of the city would
pedestrians, a transportation project has prohibiting buildings underneath bridges have jeopardized his predominantly
the potential to connect communities, due to fire concerns. For the most part, Greyhound customer base.
improve air quality and encourage more these businesses were able to move to a
active, healthy lifestyles. That lofty goal different location using buyout funds. An additional consideration was CSX’s
is exactly what the design team set out The team also reconstructed a loading strict standards when crossing their
to achieve with the new Division Street dock belonging to one affected business. property, so design of the bridge had
extension bridge in downtown Nashville. But the greatest challenge was the nearby to be approved by CSX in addition to
Greyhound bus station. meeting normal design standards.
For many years, CSX Railroad
separated Nashville’s SoBro (South of Division Street’s extension bridge Besides property acquisitions and
Broadway) and Gulch neighborhoods. required acquisition of part of the stakeholder buy-in, the team also
The city wanted to create an additional Greyhound property across the street. encountered structural challenges related
route between these two developing to the project’s urban location. Because
areas and initiate further development
opportunities. That’s where Division
Street comes in. Though it might
seem an unlikely name for a structure
meant to break down neighborhood
divides and improve connectivity in
an urban core, the new Division Street
extension bridge creates an essential
link between communities. Running six
blocks in total, the four-lane structure
also provides easier access to major
transportation arteries like Interstate 40
to the east and Murfreesboro Road and
4th Avenue to the south and east.

The proposed alignment for the
project had to begin at 8th Avenue and
end at 2nd Avenue, crossing the railroad
along the way. But, as anyone would
expect in an urban core, the existing
corridor already had several established
businesses in place. GS&P was tasked
with developing a route that would affect
as few businesses as possible but include
all of the proposed design elements
requested by Metro Public Works such
as bike lanes, sidewalks and landscaping
with bioswales.

6 TPW May/June 2018