Publication: Reconnecting Nashville’s Downtown and Midtown—Capping the Interstate

The distinct nature of Nashville’s Interstate Loop as a corridor around the city has created a fissure in the topography of Nashville. Both the downtown and midtown districts are divided by the Interstate canyon. It is a significant urban fissure, in that it is a transitional zone where commuters and travelers arrive and depart the city. Intense traffic entering and exiting the Interstate discourages pedestrians and cyclists from traversing the gap. The Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA) has designated almost all of this area a blighted Redevelopment Zone. Unfortunately, the site’s present condition forces its proximity and excellent views of downtown to be overlooked. It is the proposal of the Nashville Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to explore platforming over 3,800 linear feet of the Interstate “Canyon,” south of Church Street and north of 12th Avenue, in order to develop an air rights linear green space.

The distinct nature of Nashville's Interstate Loop as a corridor around the city has created a fissure in the topography of Nashville. Both the downtown and midtown districts are divided by the Interstate canyon. It is a significant urban fissure, in that it is a transitional zone where commuters and travelers arrive and depart the city.