a day ago
A Germantown pedestrian was killed in a crosswalk. Her neighbors are taking action.
Germantown residents are calling for more action to ensure pedestrian safety after their neighbor was killed while crossing the street on June 8.
Dorothy "Dot" Dobbins, 77, was struck by a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck and later died after being taken to the hospital. Metro Nashville Police say that country music singer Conner Smith, 24, was the driver. Dobbins was hit in a marked crosswalk while she was crossing a busy stretch of Third Avenue that passes through the neighborhood.
A few days later, Dobbins' neighbors spent six hours at the same crosswalk — located between a dog park and Morgan Park — escorting every passing pedestrian and cyclist as they crossed the street, carrying signs that urged motorists to yield. At times, the growing lines of cars waiting to pass in either direction demonstrated just how busy the street can get.
Illustrating that was part of the impetus for the event in the first place. Joe Nuzzo, the president of the Historic Germantown Neighborhood Association, told The Tennessean that the neighbors who organized the crosswalk event wanted to do something to make the neighborhood safer — and to not "let Dot's death go in vain."
"The whole thing is with everything, until the next news cycle, when the police are gone, will people still yield?" Nuzzo said. "Will people still pay attention?"
In the wake of Dobbins' death, there have been at least a few immediate actions taken to make crossing Third Avenue a bit safer.
There's new signage in the road to identify the crosswalk, for example. Foliage from the roadside that blocked a driver's view of incoming pedestrians has also been removed.
But other strategies may take more time and effort. While Germantown neighbors have shared positive reviews of the speed cushions installed elsewhere in the neighborhood along a half-mile stretch of Fifth Avenue, the push for similar measures along Third Avenue is a bit trickier.
That's because it's a collector street, a type of roadway that connects local roads with high-traffic arterial streets. Nashville's community traffic calming program generally targets residential streets with lower traffic volume, rather than collectors that, according to the city, 'may not be applicable' for certain measures.
Add that to a steady influx of new residents and businesses, and it's a recipe for more car traffic by the day.
'Unfortunately, we are a victim of our own success,' Nuzzo said. 'Germantown, when I moved here, it was not as busy as it is now. But now, all the construction is done. We have a few more apartment complexes being built, but now the businesses are coming in. We have restaurants opening up all over Germantown, so that's bringing more people into the neighborhood — more Ubers, more cars, more e-bikes. As more people come in, the more we need traffic safety in the neighborhood.'
The issue's top of mind for Metro Council Member Jacob Kupin, who represents Germantown in District 19. Kupin came to the crosswalk event on June 11, and he addressed Dobbins' death during a special council meeting the day before.
'This is an area where we've been advocating for additional support,' Kupin told council members on June 10. 'I know (the Nashville Department of Transportation is) working on that, and I know I don't have to tell the folks in this room that we have so many areas in our district and our city that are working well and so many more that need work.'
The neighborhood association is aiming to address the challenge at an upcoming community meeting. Nuzzo said it'll be an opportunity for Germantown neighbors to voice their concerns directly to NDOT and Kupin, both of whom will be in attendance.
Nuzzo, for his part, already has an idea of what he'll be advocating for.
'Crosswalks could all use a new paint job,' Nuzzo said. 'A traffic light would be wonderful on that corner. These are all things that NDOT needs to take into consideration.'
Austin Hornbostel is the Metro reporter for The Tennessean. Have a question about local government you want an answer to? Reach him at ahornbostel@
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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Germantown neighbors call for action after pedestrian death
