Nashville drivers may soon be prevented from doing a routine driving maneuver in its downtown.
This week, the Metro Nashville Council passed an ordinance on first reading that would prevent people from turning right on red at most intersections.
Nashville’s effort to eliminate right-on-red turns is part of its Vision Zero policy, which aims to “eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on Nashville’s streets.”
“The Metropolitan Council finds that restricting right turns on red within the Urban Services District is a reasonable and necessary exercise to improve traffic safety and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public,” the ordinance says.
If the ordinance becomes law, the Nashville Department of Transportation (NDOT) and Multimodal Infrastructure would add a sign that says “No Turns On Red” in the city’s Urban Services District, which is 198 square miles and makes up 42% of Metro Nashville-Davidson’s land area.
“The Urban Services District contains the highest concentration of pedestrians, transit service, schools, parks, businesses, entertainment venues, and mixed-use development within Davidson County,” the ordinance notes.
The ordinance would allow drivers to do right-on-red turns at specific intersections in the district if NDOT concludes it doesn’t pose a risk to pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders or other road users.
Police and other medical emergency vehicles would be exempt when responding to an emergency, the ordinance says.
In the first 90 days after implementation, the Metro Council would request that the Nashville Police Department hand out warnings rather than tickets unless the violation causes a wreck or immediate danger.
The ordinance would require the NDOT to issue a one-year report to Metro Council detailing the number of crashes, fatalities, serious injuries, travel impacts, and whether the ban should go beyond the Urban Services District.
If Mayor Freddie O’Connell signs the ordinance, Nashville will join major cities such as Atlanta, San Francisco, and Seattle in banning red-on-right turns in parts of their cities.
New York City and Washington, D.C., have issued citywide bans on red-on-right turns.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at zschmidt1717@gmail.com.
