Madison Station: The Spark that Ignited the Flame

THE SPARK THAT IGNITED THE FLAME: How Transportation Transforms Communities

By: David Rast, PE Regional Transportation Manager/Vice President

Madison, Tennessee, a suburban neighborhood northeast of Nashville, was a rural residential community along the Cumberland River in the early 1800s. Six decades ago, this bustling area was economically sound and thriving, but over time, commercial and industrial interests have encroached on the area and lack of investment took its toll. Today, the heavily commercial area is flanked to the east and west by residential development with businesses and residents alike rallying to restore the community to its former vibrancy.

A PROJECT TAKES ROOT

In 2016, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County (Metro) turned their sights to Madison Station Boulevard (once known as the Neely’s Bend Extension project). As a component of Metro’s planning of the region, Councilmember Nancy VanReece spearheaded an effort to bring this long-awaited project to reality. In response to the Mayor’s Amended Executive Order 031 committing to the Green and Complete Streets Program, the project’s primary goal was to promote multi-modal options such as pedestrian walkability, enhanced bike paths with circulation, and accommodations for automobiles with a sustainable and environmentally-responsible footprint — all vital components for the reimagining of Madison Station Boulevard.

With a focus to rebuild the community, the project began to take shape with Metro selecting the project team to bring the transformative project to life. TTL, an engineering, environmental, and construction management consulting firm, led the design of the landmark project. Madison Station Boulevard proved to be an especially complex project due to the many challenges that included balancing transportation needs, drainage issues, and existing infrastructure.

AN ENGAGED COMMUNITY

The Madison community has been actively engaged from the start with businesses and residents alike as the first voices to call attention to the project’s potential. As TTL organized the first of many community stakeholder meetings, residents and businesses brought ideas, concepts, and solutions to the table for the re-

THE SPARK THAT IGNITED THE FLAME, CONTINUED

envisioning of the community. Residents weighed in on bike lanes, signage, operations concerns, traffic, and safety, with business owners citing concerns about access and other issues. All parties aligned behind a vision of what they wished to see happen. TTL worked closely with stakeholders to assimilate the ultimate wish list and presented options that incorporated the best ideas in a comprehensive and structured way entailing new signage, traffic control, landscaping, and amenities, in addition to traffic patterns and flow.

A TALE OF TWO PROJECTS

Although under the umbrella of one project, there were two distinct areas that required individual approaches. The northern half of the project was developed as a “road diet,” narrowing the roadway to provide traffic calming and creating space for bike lanes and landscaping while promoting pedestrian traffic. Slowing traffic allows the boulevard to stand as a destination on its own rather than a roadway simply bisecting the region. As Councilmember VanReece stated at the groundbreaking event, “this is going to be a beautiful place, a place not to cut through but to slow down, reflect, and center. To return to our roots and grow into our new future.”

The southern half of the corridor was a completely new alignment from Madison Street to Gallatin Road featuring a single-lane roundabout, bike lanes, and sidewalks. The pedestrian and bicycle pathways were developed with respect to origins and destinations, and were placed behind a green buffer zone of bioswales. Native and indigenous plants, selected for low maintenance and water requirements, absorb runoff and allow reuse for irrigation. Streetscaping and bioswales encourage healthy lifestyles and enhance the environment.

COMING FULL CIRCLE

The anchor of the roadway redesign centered on the creation of the roundabout in the southern section which serves as a physical hub connecting spokes to the neighborhood. The roundabout is praised not only by the engineers who proposed it, but by council members, the community, residents, and businesses.

Each spoke of the roundabout tells a story. One of the project’s triumphs involved TTL’s innovative solution for right-of-way acquisition critical to the project. FiftyForward, the leading resource for adults over the age of 50, owned a portion of the land needed to complete the pivotal roundabout. The development team negotiated with FiftyForward to secure the necessary land as a donation in exchange for the development of a park-like area fronting the roundabout. FiftyForward was able to continue its dream as an integral part of the community while gaining a beautifully-landscaped park they could enjoy as part of the FiftyForward family. “Finding a way to incorporate this crucial strip of land without impacting the budget and meeting the needs of the owner is an amazing success story. FiftyForward’s willingness to work with the team allowed us to devise a perfect solution that gives the project and the community just what they needed,” said David Rast, TTL project manager.

In the northeast corner, between two legs of the roundabout, sits the land once used as a Metro elementary school which, over time, has become the Madison Library. Land once used as a playground is slated to be converted into a community park. Off the southern spoke of the roundabout is a planned multi-use development featuring multi-family residences and commercial office space as well as a potential transit hub. Proposed senior housing serves dual purposes:

much needed housing for the area and a place for caretakers and family members of the Fifty-Forward family to locate just across the roundabout from their loved ones accessing the senior facilities.

Adding its own compelling element of history, the Amqui Railway Station occupies a prominent spot in the community. Years before, country legend Johnny Cash found the railway station in jeopardy and came to its defense. He bought the building and relocated it to his property in Hendersonville. Though the building was protected by Cash’s effort, the public could not visit or learn of the importance the station had to the Madison community. After Cash’s death, his family allowed the building’s relocation to Madison. The historic structure now occupies a place of honor in this redeveloping area and serves as a further draw for tourists.

WHAT LIES BENEATH

Drainage on roadway projects can be fraught with challenges. Consideration must be given to prior development and usage, as well as infrastructure located downstream. Drainage is often a key concern in the redevelopment of any site as it can cause drainage and flooding issues on-site or in adjacent locations.

Roadway projects in Tennessee are not typically designed with retention and detention pond amenities. In the case of Madison Station Boulevard, existing infrastructure downstream was not sized appropriately nor was it functioning as originally designed. TTL proposed a detention pond to detain runoff as a measure to reduce potential flooding. “We were able to include a detention measure that wouldn’t normally have been warranted to address drainage issues downstream,” said Rast.

FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION

From the start, Madison Station Boulevard wasn’t just a roadway project – it was the impetus to spark redevelopment for the community. The project was funded locally – a clear and concise indicator of community alignment –reflecting the passion, engagement, and investment of every stakeholder. “The TTL team has been great to work with in design and construction. They have been responsive to design questions, plan revisions, and requests for information,” said Katrina Jones, PE, capital projects manager, Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure. The project has already proved a transformative catalyst for the corridor spurring further economic development and attracting new developers, businesses, and creative pursuits.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TTL CAN HELP TRANSFORM YOUR NEXT PROJECT, CONTACT DAVID RAST AT DRAST@TTLUSA.COM