After tragedy struck earlier this month, one Nashville man has taken it upon himself to try and convince the city to close Broadway to all vehicular traffic
Manaen Hall took to Change.org to organize a petition after an 87-year-old driver ran a red light as pedestrians were crossing Broadway on August 1, killing one and injuring three others. The incident happened around 12:30pm on that Saturday, and fortunately, first responders on routine patrol on Broadway were at the scene before the 911 call even came in.
Sadly, 58-year-old insurance executive Timothy Wedlock of Australia was killed in the accident, while three others were hospitalized. Two of the survivors suffered critical injuries, while a third was listed in critical but stable condition. Ever since the tragic incident occurred, there’s been plenty of conversation about making Broadway a pedestrian-only entertainment district.
Hall writes in the petition that the areas of Broadway from 5th avenue and 1st avenue have seen some concerning crash and injury rates in just the last seven years:
“Since 2019, there have been 541 motor vehicle crashes on Lower Broadway between 5th Avenue and 1st Avenue, 52 of which involved a pedestrian. These five blocks are particularly dangerous for pedestrians, who were involved in 6% of total crashes but account for 52% of the injuries.”
Not only is the Nashville resident encouraging others to join the petition, he’s calling on Metro Nashville, the Tennessee Department of Transportation, and Mayor Freddie O’Connell to step up and make the Lower Broadway area free of motorized vehicle traffic:
“So far this year, 18 people have died while walking or biking in Nashville, a 29% percent increase compared to this time in 2025. Even more concerning, Nashville is the only city in Tennessee where traffic fatalities are increasing.
We know how to prevent these deaths. The time to act is now. We call on Mayor O’Connell and the Nashville Department of Transportation to work with the Tennessee Department of Transportation to close Lower Broadway to motorized vehicle traffic from 1st Avenue to 5th Avenue.”
Because Broadway is technically a roadway that is owned by the state, Metro Nashville and the Tennessee Department of Transportation would have to work in tandem to close the area off to traffic. TDOT has already started having conversations about doing so.
Though that’s great news, it’s sad that a tragedy had to happen to jumpstart that move. The Nashville resident who started the petition, as well as many others for Broadway being a pedestrian-only area, have pointed towards areas like New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, or Memphis’ Beale Street as examples of downtown areas that have fully embraced going vehicle-free.
Hall concluded the petition’s argument by citing how pedestrianizing streets can actually be beneficial for businesses, and argued that Nashville’s Broadway is one of the busiest pedestrian areas in the United States:
“Studies have shown that pedestrianized streets increase safety, benefit local businesses, and provide health benefits for residents and visitors. Extensive evidence from other cities also demonstrates that initial concerns regarding impacts on traffic and economic activity are unfounded. Traffic improves as drivers change routes or choose alternative modes, and businesses report increased revenues.
Lower Broadway has the highest pedestrian volumes in Nashville and ranks among the busiest pedestrian corridors in the United States, with over 16,000 pedestrians on an average day and up to 200,000 on weekends. Since March of this year, temporary closures from 5th to 2nd have already been piloted on weekend nights, demonstrating safety and feasibility. It’s time to make these closures permanent and close Broadway from the 5th to the River.”
Originally, the petition set a goal of 500 signatures. At this moment, it’s already creeped over 400, so it’s well on its way to reaching its goal. If you are interested in signing the petition, you can do so by clicking this link here.
