Despite Misgivings of Some, Metro Council All-But-Certain to OK Final Piece of $18M Gulch Bridge Deal

NASHVILLE, TN — Criticism of the proposed $18 million pedestrian bridge connecting The Gulch and SoBro continues unabated, but it's likely the last key piece of the project will sail through the Metro Council anyway.

The powerful Budget and Finance Committee unanimously recommended approval of a land deal that would provide the necessary real estate for the footings of the bridge which will cross CSX's Kayne Yard, connecting 10th Avenue and Lea south of Broadway and 11th Avenue in The Gulch.

Supporters of the project, which was unveiled during the administration of Karl Dean but has the support of Mayor Megan Barry, say it will provide a crucial pedestrian link between the two growing (and affluent) neighborhoods. Currently, that connection is via Demonbreun and then 10th or 8th avenues, which Public Works officials say has accessibility problems for people with disabilities.

Councilman Steve Glover, who opposed the bridge from the beginning, says the $18 million could be better spent elsewhere.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” Glover said, according to WPLN. “We’re talking about spending $18 million to put a bridge across here, when you can walk one block that way or this way and get to the same place.”

The project will be paid for by general obligation bonds with the debt service paid by redirecting tax-increment financing payments from properties in The Gulch, essentially earmarking property taxes from The Gulch to cover the cost; counter to an earlier proposal, there will be no special assessment on The Gulch to pay for the project. That raised some concern from at-large councilman John Cooper.

“This is like any district that pays (property) taxes saying that we’re only going to pay taxes for improvements in our area,” Cooper said, according to The Tennessean. “It’s a somewhat suspect and dangerous precedent.”

Officially, the vote of the budget committee and that of the council Tuesday is on a deal that would see Metro sell the 3-acre Clement Landport to Cummins Station for $7.56 million. The city would then pay $2.66 million to Cummins Station’s owner for the easements to build and construct the east base of the 700-foot-long bridge.

Image via Metro Public Works