A recent deal struck between Metro and the Tennessee Performing Arts Center to build a new venue on the East Bank is raising concerns among some Metro councilmembers — specifically, concerns about the update to and potential closure of the adjacent John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge.
Metro and TPAC reached an agreement on Nov. 19 that will bring a new performance hall to the neighborhood, which followed months of uncertainty over the venue’s location. Metro will be responsible for costs related to extensive reconstruction to the pedestrian bridge, renovations that are required to accommodate the current designs for the forthcoming TPAC facility. The exact cost of the bridge work has not yet been determined, but estimated infrastructure costs presented at a meeting on Thursday total at least $21.7 million.
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This marks a shift from a memorandum of understanding approved by the Metro Council in 2024 that signaled TPAC as responsible for bridge redesign costs. The east foot of the bridge is located adjacent to the site on which the TPAC building will be constructed.
Masami Tyson, chief of staff for Mayor Freddie O’Connell, said at a meeting of the council’s Ad Hoc East Bank Committee on Thursday that it was the original intention for the bridge to connect to the future TPAC facility. That is not the case under the new agreement, which outlines the bridge remaining as a freestanding structure.
The original MOU included a commitment to keeping the bridge open and to preserving access for pedestrians and cyclists. Similar language is not included in the new agreement, and East Bank Development Authority CEO Ben York indicated at a Dec. 2 meeting that a closure of the bridge could be possible.
Tyson said on Thursday that language surrounding a potential bridge closure is not included in the new agreement due to TPAC no longer being responsible for updates to the structure.
Councilmember Sean Parker — whose district includes portions of the East Bank — raised concerns about the lack of a written commitment that ensures access to the bridge and expressed worries that suburban commuters might be prioritized over those who walk and bike along the bridge daily.
“I’m a little bit worried about these concerns getting kind of crowded out by these very loud, very well-resourced stakeholders that manage to have lobbyists at all these meetings," Parker said at Thursday's meeting. "I have some heartburn about the potential of [the bridge] closing for a long stretch."
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Several other councilmembers, including fellow East Nashville Councilmember Clay Capp, echoed Parker’s concerns and pushed for additional committee meetings to stay updated on developments involving the bridge.
Tyson said the bridge reconstruction is still in the very early phases with designs not yet completed, but that the mayor’s office is committed to ensuring access remains.
“It’s not just a promise that is just words,” she said. “We are actually making sure those pieces fall into place.”
The Metro Council approved the new agreement regarding TPAC on its first of three readings on Dec. 4. A second reading is set for the council’s final meeting of the year on Dec. 16.
This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
