Nashville Bits and Pieces

[MidTenn1]

Sulphur Dell was 'French Lick'.

 

I kid you not!

[TMcKay9]

Wasn't Tusculum originally "Flat Rock"?

 

Woodbine was originally Flat Rock, Tusculum is a little farther out.

[UTgrad09]

I think sometimes rebranding isn't the worst thing in the world, but generally only in cases that don't have a clear identity, or those with archaic names that residents don't really identify with, which I think is usually the case with 19th century communities that were essentially built over and hold no real hint of the past -- think of those places you come across that have a historical marker, but no community businesses or buildings that keep with the name -- Mud Tavern, Oglesby, Amqui, etc.

 

Sometimes it has to do with an area that has grown up that is looking for a new distinction, such as the aforementioned Gulch and 12th South. I don't think that is a bad thing.

 

But with The Nations/West Town, you are talking about an area with an already known identity that is going through rebranding, not through neighborhood organization, but through real estate promotion. And I don't like that.

[TnNative]

The first time I hear someone call it "Historic West Town" in earnest, I'll probably punch them in the face.

Edited October 30, 2013 by TnNative

[MLBrumby]

I travel to Nashville on average about once every 6-8 weeks, usually for business reasons.  So I pass through the I-24/I-40 corridor at the busiest times.  So I did some checking (with a hint of dread) to see when (if) the widening of the road would be coming soon.  Well, there is good news, and (mostly) bad news.  The good:  I won't have to contend with construction soon.  The bad: This project is not even due to start until 2026, at the very soonest.  It is marked in the MPO transportation plan at an estimated cost of $150M.  I sense the real cost will skyrocket... and no doubt, traffic through that segment will get much worse before it is alleviated (if ever).

 

Anyway, here are the docs... so you can check it out.

 

http://www.nashvillempo.org/docs/lrtp/2035rtp/Maps/ALL_Projects_Map.pdf

 

http://www.nashvillempo.org/docs/lrtp/2035rtp/Docs/2035_Doc/2035_Projects.pdf

 

So is it worth it to start a thread on road projects in the metro area? 

[nashvillwill]

I'm going to go way out on a limb here.

I predict that by the year 2026 (the year you mention of this project) most vehicles on the road will have highway autonomous drive systems. Therefore, vehicles will be able to travel literally bumper to bumper at high speeds. The train-like travel of these cars will drastically reduce congestion and make our highways 1000 times more efficient per lane. Some day in the near future, road expansion projects will virtually disappear and all that will be required is maintenance.

I don't think this is crazy. I see googles autonomous drive vehicles on a weekly basis. They have already logged a half million miles in the Bay Area, accident free. Many manufacturers (Nissan included) are working on similar systems. We should see these vehicles at dealerships in the next 5 years (pending the giant legal/regulatory battle that will take place).

Edited November 1, 2013 by nashvillwill

[NashRugger]

Nashville City Center sells for $103mil to Philadelphia group.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20131101/BUSINESS02/311010123/Nashville-City-Center-sold-Philadelphia-investor-group-103M

[MLBrumby]

I'm going to go way out on a limb here.

I predict that by the year 2026 (the year you mention of this project) most vehicles on the road will have highway autonomous drive systems. Therefore, vehicles will be able to travel literally bumper to bumper at high speeds. The train-like travel of these cars will drastically reduce congestion and make our highways 1000 times more efficient per lane. Some day in the near future, road expansion projects will virtually disappear and all that will be required is maintenance.

I don't think this is crazy. I see googles autonomous drive vehicles on a weekly basis. They have already logged a half million miles in the Bay Area, accident free. Many manufacturers (Nissan included) are working on similar systems. We should see these vehicles at dealerships in the next 5 years (pending the giant legal/regulatory battle that will take place).

 

 

I don't think it's "that" crazy... but your timeline is way too short.  Keep in mind, there will be a transition period, and the average age of a car on the road today is 11 years.  Plus, there will be a period when there will be a mix of auto-drives and "conventionally steered" (I just made that one up) on the road.  Plus, I expect that there will need to be at least a minimum of infrastructure added to the roads to instruct/limit/support autonomous drive cars.  I am looking forward to it, as it will also diminish a lot of need for rail transit (parking still would be an issue though), but I peg the period 2040-50.  By then, I'll also be in my seventies.. and will need someone to drive me around.  Would be really great if that takes care of the problem.  When I'm old, retired and have an autonomous drive care, I will be going out barhopping every night.  What a way to go!

Edited November 1, 2013 by MLBrumby

[Neigeville]

I don't think it's "that" crazy... but your timeline is way too short.  Keep in mind, there will be a transition period, and the average age of a car on the road today is 11 years.  Plus, there will be a period when there will be a mix of auto-drives and "conventionally steered" (I just made that one up) on the road.  Plus, I expect that there will need to be at least a minimum of infrastructure added to the roads to instruct/limit/support autonomous drive cars.  I am looking forward to it, as it will also diminish a lot of need for rail transit (parking still would be an issue though), but I peg the period 2040-50.  By then, I'll also be in my seventies.. and will need someone to drive me around.  Would be really great if that takes care of the problem.  When I'm old, retired and have an autonomous drive care, I will be going out barhopping every night.  What a way to go!

 

This is one of those technologies that will have all sorts of unanticipated side effects.  For example, what's the distinction between an autonomous taxi and an autonomous rental car?  They will both be cars you summon from your cellphone and then use for whatever you wish for as long as you wish.  The need for parking will be greatly reduced--I don't want to pay for a car that just sits parked 95% of the time when I could just pay for the part I use and walk away.  The car can go pick up somebody else.

 

Even if it's a car I own, I don't have to park it downtown--it can go home and pick me up later, perhaps after being used by another family member, or go park itself someplace cheap a mile away. 

 

But those (like me) for whom driving cars is a chore taken on out of necessity, rather than something they actually want to do, will probably find the options for car rental, car pooling, truck rental to move large things, etc. vastly expanded and way simpler and cheaper than owning the damn thing and taking on the maintenance, etc., now that the car can deliver itself on demand and return itself when you're done with it.  It'll be like having an invisible chauffeur bring the car around wherever and whenever you want.  Who wants to deal with parking, tires, oil changes, registration, etc.

 

Even people who own autonomous cars may want to put them up for rent for fixed periods when they're not using them; there will probably be websites for this.

 

What effect will autonomous vehicles have on public transit?  I doubt fixed-route transit in dense areas will be much affected--the people pouring into Manhattan every morning for example simply wouldn't fit if they were all in single occupancy vehicles.  On the other hand bus transit could be revolutionized.

 

I think banning non-autonomous vehicles from freeways will happen sooner rather than later.  We aren't going to let non-autonomous vehicles clog up the highways and slow down everybody else when their owners could just rent a self-driving car for a half hour if they find surface streets inadequate.  And we're not going to spend billions building 6 lane highways when we don't need to.

 

All in all, I think autonomous cars, trucks and buses are going to be a completely different creature from the cars we know now, in the same way that a smart phone is nothing like a landline, and in ways we can't guess.  Did anyone guess 20 years ago what phones would be doing now?

 

Will trucking companies want to pay drivers if they don't need to?   Even delivery companies may work out ways to do their business without drivers--they will certainly have a huge financial incentive to do so.  Thousands if not millions of people will eventually be put out of work by this technology.  Many aspects of life will change.

[nashvillwill]

I think (in the short term) autonomous drive will be highway only. While the technology is developing to do it full time, I think it will be quite some time before we see cars auto driving on surface streets.

It's one thing to trust you car to stay in a straight line at the same speed of other vehicles. It's quite another level of trust to let your kids play in the front yard with a bunch of 5000 pound robots running around.

I'm not saying that cars will never be fully automated, I just think it will take society (and the legal system) some time to adjust.

[Neigeville]

I think (in the short term) autonomous drive will be highway only. While the technology is developing to do it full time, I think it will be quite some time before we see cars auto driving on surface streets.

It's one thing to trust you car to stay in a straight line at the same speed of other vehicles. It's quite another level of trust to let your kids play in the front yard with a bunch of 5000 pound robots running around.

I'm not saying that cars will never be fully automated, I just think it will take society (and the legal system) some time to adjust.

 

The Google cars are not just driving on the freeway, they're already driving in traffic and at least in some ways doing a better job than humans. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/10411238/Googles-driverless-cars-are-safer-than-human-drivers.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/science/10google.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

We're not completely there yet but personally I have far more faith in robot drivers than in most of the idiots on the road.  Their attention never lapses and they have instant reflexes. 

[nashvillwill]

Like I said, the technology is developing to do it full time, I just think it will be a little longer before we see that. Many of our nations transit systems are designed to run fully automated (and have been for decades), but do to public uneasiness, there is always (as far as i know) a conductor behind the controls. I hear that the NYC subway L line may be running automated, but I can't confirm that.

I also have more faith in these systems (once proven on a mass scale), I just expect there to be heavy public resistance.

But I could be wrong.

[timmay143]

I say we have most of the technology to do it now, but it could take up to 20 years to see it on a massive scale. Would be phased in over those 20 years too probably.

[Nathan_in_DC]

I keep hearing hints that TDOT is about to start up a major widening project along the length of I-40 in Middle and East Tennessee.  I've heard that initial plans call for adding a 3rd passing lane on uphill stretches and banning semi trucks to the right hand lane in those areas (thumbs up to that), with eventual full-scale widening in the more distant future. Anyone know if there is anything to this?

[franktown]

I've also heard that buzz, but not from anyone I consider authoritative. 

[MidTenn1]

I keep hearing hints that TDOT is about to start up a major widening project along the length of I-40 in Middle and East Tennessee.  I've heard that initial plans call for adding a 3rd passing lane on uphill stretches and banning semi trucks to the right hand lane in those areas (thumbs up to that), with eventual full-scale widening in the more distant future. Anyone know if there is anything to this?

 

Per TDOT 3 year plan,(click 3 year plan link under STAY INFORMED heading)

 

Additional lanes in Benton, Cumberland, Dickson and Hickman Counties. All westbound except for Dickson.

[nashvillwill]

Uber car looking to break into the Nashville market;

http://m.bizjournals.com/nashville/morning_call/2013/11/app-based-cab-alternative-uber-eyes.html

I use it in San Francisco and it's very handy.

[Nathan_in_DC]

Uber car looking to break into the Nashville market;

http://m.bizjournals.com/nashville/morning_call/2013/11/app-based-cab-alternative-uber-eyes.html

I use it in San Francisco and it's very handy.

 

Sweet! Looking forward to using that in DC when I move up next week.

[Justiceham]

Just got an update on a museum development in Nashville from bidclerk. 

 

Estimated Value: $47,500,000

 

Estimated Start Date: April 7, 2014

 

Description: Site work and new construction of a new museum development in Nashville.

 

Is this the new African American Music Museum or additions to the Country Music Hall of Fame?

[smeagolsfree]

I am not so sure about that. There was a similar project last week on Bidclerk about an Archives building and that would be the State. Cant put a lot of faith in these postings as I have found out, because an individual can report a project to Bidclerk for listing. I hope this bodes well for both projects but the State has to come up with the funding. I do not think the AAMM has anywhere near that kind of cash at this point.

[dmillsphoto]

Just saw William post this, but it's behind the paywall right now. Division St Extension has survey work underway.

 

http://nashvillepost.com/news/2013/11/7/survey_work_underway_for_planned_division_street_extension

[nashvillwill]

Urban land use panel findings, from the Post. We need mass transit. Not a shocker.

http://nashvillepost.com/news/2013/10/24/land_use_experts_nashville_needs_major_mass_transit_system

Interesting read though. The mention a deficiency of street-scaping, which I tend to agree with.

Edited November 13, 2013 by nashvillwill

[smeagolsfree]

The State of TN is basically has got their head in the sand trying hard to ignore mass transit in any Metro area. If you ignore the future trends you will have problems. We have to have Mass Transit, not only in Nashville but probably in Memphis, Chattanooga and Knoxville at some point.

[MLBrumby]

Giarratana proposes another apartment block in the Elliston Place area, at State and 22nd.  From the Tennessean... http://www.tennessean.com/article/20131113/BUSINESS/311130169/Giarratana-buys-land-another-Midtown-apartment-project

 

Speaking of Giarratana, somehow I missed this information that he has funding lined up for the Sobro (old article from the Tennessean)... http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130716/BUSINESS01/307160122/Giarratana-partners-seal-deal-pursue-32-story-SoBro-tower

Edited November 13, 2013 by MLBrumby

[bhibbs]

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20131120/BUSINESS/311200163/Nordstrom-Rack-headed-Brentwood

 

Not sure if others care, but, I am excitied....Nashville (Brentwood) is finally getting a Nordstrom Rack store.