NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Nearly three and a half years after the Christmas Day bombing, drivers can now travel on a newly opened stretch of Second Avenue in downtown Nashville, and it comes with improvements.
On Monday, vehicles drove down the north-block portion of second avenue from Union to Church streets. There are now bigger sidewalks, more trees, sustainability features, carbon capturing concrete as well as other roadway changes.
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However, there's still more work to be done on the middle and south blocks from Church Street to Commerce and then Commerce to Broadway. These areas are slated to have even wider sidewalks, between 22 and 25 feet with dedicated outdoor dining zones near the buildings.
Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA) leaders said that they're also working with city officials to revamp the waste and recycle system.
"There's a lot of extra stuff included in this, and it's all been funded as part of the Metro government and then also the Convention Center Authority," said Michelle Scopel, the Senior Manager for MDHA Urban Development. "These folks really have been wonderfully patient and great to work with, but we've had construction at their front door for 12 months. We're really excited to give them back their street. The other blocks are open, so go visit them, go check them out, be part of the process. It's really important to support these businesses right now."
The south block is on schedule to be complete by the end of 2024. The middle block, where the blast had the hardest impact in 2020, is expected to take the longest time. That's set to be finished in 2025.
