Transforming Antioch Pike: A Collaborative Vision for a Healthier, Safer Corridor
Written By Eric Hoke, Design Director
5 min read: The Antioch Pike Tactical Urbanism Project is a community-driven effort led by the Glencliff Neighborhood, NDOT, Walk Bike Nashville, Cosecha Community Garden, the Civic Design Center, and local partners to test quick, low-cost street improvements that make South Nashville’s Antioch Pike safer, healthier, and more welcoming for everyone.
Video showcasing the Antioch Pike installation process
In South Nashville, a transformation is underway along a one-mile stretch of Antioch Pike, from Nolensville Pike to McCall Street. The Antioch Pike Tactical Urbanism Project is a community-led effort facilitated by the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT) to rethink how this vital corridor can better serve the people who live, work, and travel along it every day. With support from the Tennessee Department of Health and the Bridgestone Foundation, this project uses tactical urbanism, a method of testing quick, low-cost changes, to empower residents to take the lead in designing a safer, more welcoming street.
A Collaborative Start
The effort kicked off in February 2024 with a site visit and walk audit of Antioch Pike. NDOT, Council Member Ginny Welsch, the Glencliff Neighborhood Group, Cosecha Community Development, Wright Middle School, Walk Bike Nashville, and the Civic Design Center all came together to identify immediate concerns like missing sidewalks, faded crosswalks, and general safety issues. The NDOT made quick fixes while the community worked on bigger questions: how could this street better reflect the neighborhood's needs and promote health, safety, and mobility?
After the walk audit, the group supported NDOT’s application for the Healthy Built Environments grant from the Tennessee Department of Health. That summer, NDOT received the grant and designated the Civic Design Center to lead the tactical urbanism project, with Walk Bike Nashville coordinating an open streets event.
Photos of short-term tactical urbanism at Glencliff/Antioch
Concept for short-term tactical urbanism at Glencliff/Antioch
Photo of short-term tactical urbanism near Nolensville/Antioch
Concept for short-term tactical urbanism near Nolensville/Antioch
From Ideas to Action
Community engagement remained central throughout the project. In December 2024, we attended the Desfiles de Navidad Christmas Parade hosted by Nashville Noticias, where we shared early design ideas and gathered feedback directly from residents. Sadly, the project also took on greater urgency following the tragic death of Jianzhu Yu, a pedestrian fatally struck on her daily walk. In response, we hosted a North Glencliff Listening Session at Coleman Community Center in February 2025 to hear directly from neighbors about how they experience their streets and what changes they want to see.
Image looking west on Antioch Pike from Glencliff High School, showing a tactical urbanism installation of a lane reduction and using recycled tires as a way to separate vehicular travel lanes from the sidewalk.
In April 2025, the vision starts to take physical form. As part of the Flatrock Fest, the Civic Design Center led the installation of a mile-long tactical urbanism intervention along Antioch Pike. This temporary redesign includes features like safer crossings with shorter crossing distances and curb extensions using a new method that utilizes recycled tires to separate cars from a multi-use lane. This lane lengthens the distance between the sidewalk and the vehicular travel lane, and bikes and other mobility devices can use it, and it can be used by parents picking up their students from school.
With a grant from the Bridgestone Foundation, the Civic Design Center developed a specialized tire processing trailer designed specifically for constructing traffic control devices using recycled old tires. This innovative mobile unit allows for the efficient repurposing of tires into effective traffic calming solutions. After completing the project, the Civic Design Center donated the trailer to NDOT, enabling them to continue utilizing old tires as sustainable traffic calming devices in additional neighborhoods across Nashville.
These temporary changes are designed to help test new ideas and gather valuable feedback from the community before NDOT implements any long-term solutions. The primary goal is to create a people-first corridor that truly reflects the community’s values and specific needs to enhance safety and encourage more active transportation options in South Nashville.
