On October 2, 2024, students from Glencliff High School and Wright Middle School took an important step toward safer walking conditions by walking to school along Antioch Pike, from Nolensville Road to Dumas Drive. This stretch of road, while equipped with sidewalks, is often described by residents as unfriendly to pedestrians due to speeding traffic and other safety concerns.
Antioch Pike is uniquely positioned within the MNPS district, as it offers access to elementary, middle, and high schools all within a mile radius. Despite this convenience, many community members have expressed apprehension about walking in their neighborhood. A resident recently reached out to us to share their concern about a crash that occurred right in front of their home, emphasizing the urgent need for safer streets. With over 10 crashes reported on this stretch of Antioch Pike this year alone, resulting in injuries and property damage, Walk Bike Nashville is prioritizing this area for future improvements (Police Data Dashboard: Vehicle Crashes Map, 2024).
While Walk to School Day typically centers around elementary and middle schools, this year we encouraged high school students to join in. Early in the morning, we gathered at Advance Auto Parts at the corner of Nolensville Road and Antioch Pike, where we heard from inspiring speakers, including Mayor Freddie O’Connell, Council Member Ginny Welsch, and District 7 School Board Member Freda Player. They emphasized the importance of walking to school and shared upcoming initiatives aimed at enhancing safety for students and residents.
As the sun rose, the walk commenced, with music playing and students enthusiastically joining the parade toward Glencliff High School. Upon arrival, students entered a raffle for a brand-new electric bike donated by Nashville Connector, along with other exciting giveaways.
“Walk to School Day is a great opportunity to engage, collaborate, and create connections,” said Jinayra Hernandez Castro, Community School Coordinator at Glencliff High School. “It shines a light on the struggles our students face daily. When addressing a problem, the best approach is to walk a mile in their shoes. Our students deal with numerous challenges, and safety while walking to school shouldn’t be one of them.”
After a brief break, we transitioned to Wright Middle School’s Walk to School Day event kicking off at Glencliff High's stadium lot. Students were greeted by Tempo, the Nashville Soccer Club mascot, and gathered to hear remarks from Vice Mayor Angie Henderson, Council Member Welsch, School Board Member Player, and Dr. Valdes from Wright Middle School. The students then walked to Wright Middle School, where they enjoyed treats from Cosecha Community Development and participated in a raffle for a scooter and wireless headphones.
“Wright Global Media and Mass Communications Magnet Middle School is thrilled to host our first-ever Walk to School Day!” said Jennifer DeWall, Community Achieves Site Manager at Wright Middle School. “This event highlights the thousands of kids who walk to school every day. With over 100 students living within walking distance, we’re excited to invite all our students to join in this experience.”
In addition to the over 50 schools that joined the celebration this year, Glencliff High School and Wright Middle School took part in Walk to School Day for the first time and are excited to establish it as an annual tradition! To see the full list of participating schools, visit Walk & Bike to School.org.
On November 3rd, The Civic Design Center will be completing "Tactical Urbanism" installations along Antioch Pike at Open Streets. This installation will also inform a longer-term project that will be completed by the spring of 2025. The November 3rd projects will be located at the intersection of Glencliff Road and Antioch Pike as well as on Antioch Pike as you enter from Nolensville Pike. This installation is planned to last for 2-weeks but could be extended for a longer period of time if it is observed to be successful at creating a safer street.
The project's main goal is to make Antioch Pike more walkable, and will do this by diverting traffic to the middle lane, adding crosswalks & bulb-outs, and creating pedestrian space protected by delineators. In addition to this project, NDOT will also be evaluating additional safety enhancements closer to the schools including additional crossings and other pedestrian safety enhancements.
Don’t miss the upcoming Open Streets on Antioch Pike on November 3rd! Here is the partner and neighbor activity sign up form reimagine the streetscape and enjoy the space with neighbors!
Police Data Dashboard: Vehicle Crashes Map. (2024). Nashville.gov.
https://www.nashville.gov/departments/police/data-dashboard/vehicle-crashes-map
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