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Plan of Nashville released /w video


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If you have Windows Media Player, click this video link:

http://www.wsmv.com/global/video/WorldNowA...playerVersion=6

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http://www.wsmv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2402245&nav=1TcTRlXg

Design Center releases Plan of Nashville

Reported by Larry Flowers

E-mail: [email protected]

October 7, 2004

What would you think of Nashville without those big cloverleaf loops off the interstates downtown -- but instead, boulevards connecting local streets?

That is just part of the vision of the Plan of Nashville that was unveiled Thursday by the Nashville Civic Design Center.

Officials at the center say this is the first time a plan as detailed like this one, could change the future of Nashville as we know it.

"Now the works begins. Once you have a plan, obviously, you want to see as much of it implemented as you can," said Kate Monaghan, Executive Director of Nashville Civil Design Center.

The plan is a comprehensive, but complex plan, that will change the city as we know it.

The group has come up with 10 principles, a vision for downtown growth and development, including:

* Treating the Cumberland River as central to Nashville's identity

* Downtown housing, parks and green spaces

* Adding up to 16 bridges connecting the East and Westbanks of the river.

* Develop a convenient and efficient transportation system like mass transit to support a 24-hour life-style.

* The most controversial part of the plan includes a highway to boulevard option, meaning the elimination of the inner city loops downtown and rerouting travelers around the city.

"We need to be sure people understand what we're talking about is the inner loop of interstate, not to remove all the interstate access that's in the city of Nashville," said Monaghan.

The plan is modeled after cities like Chicago, Seattle and San Francisco. It has been two years in the works with more than 700 people giving input about the roadmap to Nashville's future.

"Its an important process of involving number of people to look at the city, its heritage and past and look ahead," said Ed Cole, TDOT.

The entire plan is designed to be urban friendly -- preserving the look, cultural history and what has made Nashville, Nashville.

"It's one that has a great deal of design that will certainly enhance what we're trying to do here in the city of Nashville," said Melvin Black, Former Metro Councilman.

Officials say don't expect to start seeing changing overnight. It could take decades to complete.

A book titled, "The Plan of Nashville: Avenues to a Great City ", which details this plan, will go on sale in December.

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The video isn't working for me, but my computer sucks.

Sounds like a nice plan, but can the citizens of nashville accept urbanity?

16 bridges? efficient mass transit to support 24hr living? interstates to blvds?

sounds really expensive too.

Will the suburbs be willing to pay for these improvements to the innercity?

I don't mean to sound so negative on this one. Just my cynicism taking over. Congratulations to Nashville for coming up with a good plan. I wish them lots of luck in implementing it.

What do you think heckles?

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Much of the plan doesn't take decades, what will take decades is uprooting the Interstates more or less.

Mass transit issues can be implemented far sooner - starting with busways, then light rail systems later on to work with the commuter rail system that is beginning construction now.

Simple greenway improvements and redevelopment is already occuring.

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Here are a few articles from The Tennessean discussing the Plan of Nashville over the past few days since the unveiling:

10/08/2004 - Long-term Vision for Nashville...

10/09/2004 - Removing Inner Loop Could Work

10/10/2004 - Would Razing Highway Reknit Neighborhood?

10/10/2004 - Daring To Dream About the Future of Nashville

Also, should you have the time, check out the Nashville Civic Design Center's website at http://www.civicdesigncenter.org.

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Providence has done a number of large scale projects in the last 25 years. We put our elevated railroad below ground, uncovered and rerouted our downtown rivers, and we are currently working on moving one of our interstates out of the city centre to reconnect parts of downtown.

Providence is by no means a rich city either, it takes careful planning and a whole lot of luck to get these type of things done.

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^ You changed the route of a river?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not me personally, but yup, we did. It's not the Mississippi or nothing, but we moved it. Actually, three rivers.

I'll see if I can dig up some maps at some point.

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