Tennessee DOT weighs making Nashville's Broadway car-free — sometimes

After a crash that killed one person and injured several others, state and city officials are in talks to consider options for closing the popular thoroughfare to cars during certain events.

1 minute read

August 4, 2026, 6:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


People walking on Broadway street with neon signs for bars and music venues in Nashville, Tennessee.

Broadway in Nashville, Tennessee. | Tiago Pestana / Shutterstock

In the wake of a fatal crash, the Tennessee Department of Transportation announced it is considering making Nashville's Broadway car-free on some occasions, reports Karen Aguilar for WZTV.

According to a statement from the agency, "The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has been in active discussions with Metro Nashville and the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security (TDOSHS) to evaluate the potential installation of bollards on Broadway in downtown Nashville, also known as State Route 1." The retractable bollards could be used to close the street temporarily, but TDOT says it does not plan to permanently close the street to cars. 

Monday, August 3, 2026 in WZTV Nashville

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