Metro Nashville Launches Smart Zone Pilot To Better Manage Curb Space in Downtown

Coord, Metro Nashville is piloting an innovative Smart Zone program to streamline curbside loading, reduce congestion, and support local economic activity

Metro Nashville, in partnership with Coord, a leading curb management company, launched its first-ever Smart Zone program to better manage the city’s curbs. This follows Nashville’s selection by Coord as one of four U.S. cities to participate in the company’s inaugural Digital Curb Challenge to undertake a brand new curb management program. 

The demand for curb space for commercial on-demand delivery, e-commerce, and freight continues to grow in cities. Smart Zones, powered by Coord’s technology, enable commercial drivers to use their mobile devices they already use every day to locate, hold, book, and pay for time at nearby, available loading zones. As a result, Smart Zones promote the economic vitality of commercial areas by making it easier for businesses to receive supplies and fulfill customer requests for deliveries, improving the experience for people who visit the area. While offering a more streamlined experience for drivers, Smart Zones can improve mobility for everyone visiting the downtown neighborhood by managing safety and congestion challenges, such as double-parking and blocked pedestrian access.

Known for its vibrant music and entertainment industry, Nashville will use the Smart Zones to provide enhanced efficiency for commercial deliveries that serve businesses in the central business district that cater to locals and tourists alike. The pilot program is part of Metro Nashville’s Transportation Plan to provide a holistic multimodal system that better connects neighborhoods, residents, and businesses to places they need and want to go safely.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper said, “I’m pleased Nashville has been selected for a Coord pilot to demonstrate the benefits of digital curbside management as our downtown conditions make for a great fit for this program. It’s also a strong complement to the Metro Nashville Transportation Plan and our Vision Zero effort to significantly increase safety on our roads. Our musicians, performers and hospitality providers need to be able to load in and out safely. Downtown employees and residents must be able to travel smoothly and safely. This is another step in our effort to make transportation safer and easier in Nashville.”

“Public and private partners are currently working together to improve the city’s real and perceived mobility challenges, some of which relate to traffic into, around, or through downtown. With commercial deliveries being a necessary component of the neighborhood that generates 25 percent of Davidson County’s sales tax revenue, we’re optimistic that Smart Zones will make a positive, measurable impact on the downtown experience for businesses, employees, residents and visitors alike,” said Tom Turner, President and CEO of the Nashville Downtown Partnership.

Metro Nashville has deployed eight Smart Zones located in downtown Nashville:

• 2nd Ave between Broadway and Commerce (NE side)
• Church St between 4th Ave and Printer’s Alley (SE side)
• Church St between 3rd Ave and Printer’s Alley (SE side)
• Union St between 2nd Ave and 3rd Ave (S side) 
• Union St between 4th Ave and Printer’s Alley (S side) 
• Union St between Rep. John Lewis Way and Arcade Alley (S side) 
• Rep. John Lewis Way between Union and north of the Arcade (SW side)
• Rep. John Lewis Way between Church and south of the Arcade (SW side)

Coord’s Smart Zones will also provide Metro Nashville with information that is essential in empowering the city to make data-driven operational changes. For example, program data can be used to understand when and where loading space is most needed and to help manage demand for it through pricing and time limits. Because Smart Zone availability, rules and prices are digitally communicated to drivers, Coord’s platform allows a city to make rules adjustments for zones in response to policy changes, special events or emergencies without the hassle and expense of modifying signage on the street. 

“With restaurants, music and culture, there’s no place in America quite like Downtown Nashville. As the world is discovering what locals have long known, Metro Nashville is putting forth a variety of mobility initiatives to ensure its vibrant downtown is safe, pleasant and easy to access for residents, businesses, and visitors alike,” said Dawn Miller, Coord’s VP of Policy and Partnerships. “Smart Zones and curb management are an important piece of Nashville’s investment in its transportation future. They enable the downtown to optimize curbs to support increasing demand from a variety of users. We are delighted to launch this pilot program and look forward to sharing best practices developed in Nashville with other cities across North America.”

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