Life along Smith Springs Road has turned into a nerve test, neighbors say, as the narrow, curving two-lane route out to the Percy Priest peninsula sees wreck after wreck and late-night racing. Residents describe drivers treating the center turn lane like a passing lane, no sidewalks for anyone on foot, and crashes so bad that they have damaged nearby homes. Now, neighbors and a Metro councilmember are teaming up for a community safety meeting to demand changes.
Community Meeting Set For March 25
District 13 Councilmember Russ Bradford is set to host a community safety meeting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25, at the Smith Springs Regional Community Center, according to the Metro Council events calendar. Local bulletins say representatives from NDOT and MNPD will be there to walk through crash data and possible short-term fixes, per CityCast Nashville.
Crash Counts And Neighbors' Complaints
The push for action is rooted in what police records and residents describe as a troubling crash history. WKRN News 2 reported that MNPD logged 53 crashes on Smith Springs Road last year, including 21 injury crashes and one deadly collision. Neighbors interviewed in that coverage pointed to tight sight lines and risky passing. Michele Vetter told WKRN that "it is a very dangerous road," while another resident recalled a crash so violent that a car went airborne into a home's roof.
Police Step Up Enforcement
Metro police say they have already stepped up enforcement on the corridor. An MNPD media release describes a March Street Racer Initiative in which officers deployed spike strips at Reynolds Road and Smith Springs Road and used an MNPD helicopter to track a speeding vehicle before suspects were detained, per the Metro Nashville Police Department. Local coverage of the sweep in a wild weekend street racing crackdown highlighted the spike-strip use and multiple arrests.
NDOT Response And The Guardrail Debate
On the infrastructure side, some homeowners have turned to the Nashville Department of Transportation, asking for guardrails and sidewalks. WSMV reported that one homeowner's request for a guardrail was rejected after officials said guardrails are designed to protect motorists rather than private property. WSMV also reported that NDOT has opened a safety study for the Smith Springs corridor, though neighbors say they are looking for visible changes sooner rather than later.
What Will Be On The Table
Residents say they plan to push for near-term steps such as targeted speed enforcement, temporary barriers, and clearer signage while NDOT and council staff consider longer-term engineering fixes. Local reporting indicates the March 25 gathering will serve as the first formal forum to weigh immediate enforcement efforts alongside potential capital projects for the stretch.
Officials and residents have said they expect NDOT and MNPD to bring back recommendations after the meeting. Until then, neighbors are vocal about wanting to see concrete action so Smith Springs Road does not become the site of another serious crash.
