Gallatin gets $300k streetscape grant

The Tennessean, January 31, 2012

Three Sumner County projects, including phase three of the Gallatin downtown streetscape, were awarded $1.2 million in funding through the Nashville Metropolitan Planning Organization. The funds are part of MPO’s region-wide effort to support multiple forms of transportation. Overall eight projects were selected through-out the region. The Sumner County grants will help to fund completion of the Gallatin downtown streetscape master plan as well as the implementation of two greenway project phases.

Sumner County and the City of Gallatin have won millions in grants over the last few years following the completion of their comprehensive plans in 2004 and 2010. “Is it unusual to get as much as we have; I think we’ve been extremely successful,” said Gallatin Community Development Coordinator Jim Svoboda. “I think absolutely we seized on the opportunities that were available and came up at the time.”

Nashville Recognized as Top Running Trail Destination

The Tennessean, January 9, 2012

The January issue of Women’s Running Magazine named Nashville as one of the top-five trail running destinations in the United States and the Warner Parks trails system was singled out as the top pick for the Nashville area.

Land Trust’s South Cumberland Region Conservation Plan

In partnership with the Lyndhurst Foundation and the University of the South’s Sewanee Environmental Institute, The Land Trust for Tennessee recently completed a landmark conservation plan for the South Cumberland region. The planning area encompassed almost 4 million acres in Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia.

Dickson Residents Grapple with Growth Issues on Congested Corridor

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is considering a possible southwest Dickson bypass route. In particular, TDOT is interested in relieving the often congested Highway 46. However, residents are concerned with potential problems a new bypass route could pose. TDOT has presented Dickson with different route options—all of which would affect land owners, but other alternatives such as Transportation Systems Management (TSM) and a no build option are also on the table.

AIA 150 Visioning and Design Workshop: Robertson County

On Preserving Rural Open Space and Revitalizing Historic Town Centers

On Friday and Saturday, April 27 and 28, 2007, citizens of Robertson County convened in the United Methodist Church in Springfield for a Visioning Workshop on Preserving Rural Land and Revitalizing Town Centers. This was the first of three workshops being convened this year in Middle Tennessee as part of the American Institute of Architects 150 Blueprint for America Initiative. In Middle Tennessee, this A.I.A. program focuses on the challenges communities face undergoing rapid growth. Prior discussion with Robertson County leadership indicated that there existed significant concern over the quality of its growth patterns, and the need to retain its traditional character while undergoing sustainable growth.

AIA 150 Visioning and Design Workshop Reports: Kingston Springs

Revitalizing the Town Center(s) and Conserving Open Land in Kingston Springs

On Friday and Saturday, March 14 and 15, 2008, citizens of Kingston Springs, Tennessee convened at Harpeth High School for Community Assessment and Visioning Workshops on Revitalizing the Town Center(s) and Conserving Open Land in Kingston Springs. This was the third of three such sets of workshops being convened in Middle Tennessee as part of the American Institute of Architects 150 Blueprint for America Middle Tennessee Initiative.

Wilson County Focuses on Greenways While Growing

Wilson County communities such as Lebanon and Mt. Juliet have projects under way to build more greenways to serve increased citizen desire for more livable communities.

CRT encourages community planning that prioritizes greenway infrastructure. Not only can walking and biking trails provide more personal transportation options and improve the health of a community, they also increase property values and help create more livable communities.

Spring Hill Responds to Resident’s Desire for More Walkable, Connected, Greener Spaces

Based on a survey of over 700 residents, Spring Hill is focusing on making greenways both a recreation and transportation option. Spring Hill is applying for two grants to help connect different neighborhoods to their local schools. The first grant is for a paved multi-use trail to connect Spring Station Drive to the campuses Summit High School and Spring Station Middle School.The second grant would help pay for the McCutcheon Creek paved multi-use greenway trail that would connect several subdivisions along the west side of Main Street to Harvey Park. The city submitted its application in early October with support from the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Mayor Dean Receives National Award for Greenways and Open Space Conservation

Mayor Karl Dean received national recognition in Washington D.C for outstanding achievement in greenways and open space preservation. The conservation honor is courtesy of the 22nd annual Kodak American Greenways Awards. Other recipients of the award are U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, and the Potomac Conservancy.

Development Trends and Growth Projections

A Report to the Region, pg 8-10 – View the “Report to the Region”, PDF

In order to predict growth and development patterns relating to our region, CRT first identified the following indicators and trends utilizing the most up-to-date data available. Primary sources used included census data, information from government agencies and professional consultants. Learn More about projections for:

• Population and Household Growth
• Employment Growth
• Use of the Land
• Commute Patterns
• Traffic Congestion
• Infrastructure Costs
• Cities and Towns
• Air and Water