Traffic Patterns in Nashville (Green Hill, Central: how much, house, university)

[delta44j]

I am thinking about where to live when we move to Nashville, and was wondering if people could give me a sense of traffic patterns. Everybody comments on the "traffic," but I'm not sure if this would apply so much to me, because we want to live within the city (not in the burbs) and I think that I MAY be going AGAINST the flow (this is where I am looking for input). I will need to commute to both 100 Oaks and The Vandy Med Center. We are thinking of living in 1) Hillsboro Village right by the Med Center (I think they have a shuttle bus I could take), 2) anywhere in Hillsboro Village, 3) West End area, or 4) Downtown in The Gulch. Basically, looking for walkable and more urban feel.

How much traffic would I face living in those areas and traveling to Vandy and 100 Oaks. Does the traffic generally all flow into the downtown area in the mornings and out from the downtown area in the evenings? Does most of it flow into one main direction from downtown or does it just go in all directions? Any ideas on travel times?

Would East Nashville be a terrible idea for living because I would be commuting across a river and facing bridge traffic?

It would be great if I could find a bus to take for commuting, but it looks as though the buses run very infrequently even during rush hour with waits of 20-30 minutes!! Am I misreading something there? It seems a little absurd for the "frequent" lines to have such long waits.

Also, does anybody know if it would be possible to ride a bike from those areas? The distances are pretty short, but I hear the streets aren't so bike friendly.

Thanks.

[BirdieBelle]

It seems like the worst traffic in Nashville is always on the north side, but the center (I-440 bypass especially heading east) and south side (I-65 coming from Williamson County and Maury County) always have "rush hour" delays. If you were going from the city to 100 Oaks, you would be going against the traffic, as it mostly comes from the suburbs into the city.
Nashville is a car-oriented city. Many areas don't even have sidewalks, and some heavily traveled roads that go toward 100 Oaks, such as Harding Place or Woodmont Boulevard, don't even have a shoulder. Most drivers are not patient with cyclists. I would not think the Gulch would be a walkable or bikeable area to 100 Oaks because you have to cross I-40 to get out of the Gulch. If you worked downtown, it would be great.
The shuttle might be your best bet to get to 100 Oaks. The 100 Oaks area itself has improved since Vandy renovated the mall space it now occupies, but it is immediately next to an interstate and the very treacherous Woodmont Boulevard/Thompson Lane.
You might try a house search in Hillsboro Village or even near Belmont University and David Lipscomb University.

[septimus]

I don't think traffic is bad... but today I was in Green Hills/West End and it was awful even on roads that aren't major through fares.

[benice66]

They didn't finish the bypass around Nashville because the US government stopped giving them money for it. What a shame.

[Coney]

Originally Posted by delta44j

I am thinking about where to live when we move to Nashville, and was wondering if people could give me a sense of traffic patterns. Everybody comments on the "traffic," but I'm not sure if this would apply so much to me, because we want to live within the city (not in the burbs) and I think that I MAY be going AGAINST the flow (this is where I am looking for input). I will need to commute to both 100 Oaks and The Vandy Med Center. We are thinking of living in 1) Hillsboro Village right by the Med Center (I think they have a shuttle bus I could take), 2) anywhere in Hillsboro Village, 3) West End area, or 4) Downtown in The Gulch. Basically, looking for walkable and more urban feel.

How much traffic would I face living in those areas and traveling to Vandy and 100 Oaks. Does the traffic generally all flow into the downtown area in the mornings and out from the downtown area in the evenings? Does most of it flow into one main direction from downtown or does it just go in all directions? Any ideas on travel times?

Would East Nashville be a terrible idea for living because I would be commuting across a river and facing bridge traffic?

It would be great if I could find a bus to take for commuting, but it looks as though the buses run very infrequently even during rush hour with waits of 20-30 minutes!! Am I misreading something there? It seems a little absurd for the "frequent" lines to have such long waits.

Also, does anybody know if it would be possible to ride a bike from those areas? The distances are pretty short, but I hear the streets aren't so bike friendly.

Thanks.

I just wanted to let you know that if you are working for the Vandy Med center, the Nashville buses are free.

[delta44j]

Thanks for the input, sounds like I won't have to battle traffic with any of those areas because I will either be going against the traffic (eg- Gulch to 100 oaks/Vandy) or won't really be going through the heavy traffic areas (eg Hillsboro/West End to 100 Oaks/Vandy).

I'd LOVE to take the bus every day even if it wasn't free, BUT I wouldn't want to wait 20 minutes every day to catch the bus (unless of course there was an air conditioned waiting room, which I have to assume doesn't exist). Please let me know if I am way off and the wait times are not that long for the bus service.

[tabbva]

Check the bus schedules at Welcome to the Nashville MTA! and the map at http://www.nashvillemta.org/News/pub96.pdf
Most of the bus stops aren't air conditioned, except for the downtown transit center (Music City Central).

[delta44j]

Yep, that is where I got the bus schedule from, according to that, the "frequent" buses come 20-30 mins during rush hour.

[delta44j]

What about coming from east nashville into the vandy and 100 oaks area for a commute? Would that be hitting a lot of traffic crossing over the river?

[IngleDave]

I think you're worrying a bit too much. To not wait too long for the bus, don't get to the stop too early and you'll find your own favorite traffic routes to work and back. I've had long commutes for years and occasionally, there's a bad, weird traffic day, but most of the time, it's okay, especially if you're not going from downtown to a far out 'burb. Vandy, EN and 100 Oaks won't through you for a loop generally. I wouldn't worry.