Sign for WeGo transit above trash can for cigarettes in a parking garage.

Bus facing all the ride share apps and taxis from the far corner of the garage.

Apparently the pad used by WeGo at BNA is also the smoking area of the garage. Got to love that elevated experience BNA gives WeGo!

👀 The current contract does expire in October

Mulch appreciated! I might be procrastinating.

Went a little too deep… From what I can find, it looks like metro used to make its own mulch at a city operated facility in Bordeaux. In 2016 it looks like they decided to contract that service out. My bet is it was a short term cost saving measure/I hope metro gets a discount on the mulch!

I couldn’t find mulch revenue mentioned in metro’s revenue guide for FY 2025. The last time it was mentioned was in FY 2022 with $0 generated. Last time I could find an amount generated was FY 2018 and only generated $17,555. I imagine the contract changed and metro doesn’t get revenue anymore.

Normally it is chipped by metro and sent to a contractor to make mulch or compost. The mulch is used in our parks. The 2019 solid waste master plan says mulch sales are used to offset recycling and brush pickup cost. Not sure if we still get rev from mulch or if they can process the large amount.

Wait are people supposed to be the water in this metaphor? If so what happens to those people when you shut off the faucet?

An empty spot in the ride share parking garage that should have the 18 bus.

Plane was stuck on the tarmac for an extra 20 minutes, so I missed the last 18 of the night. Crazy that the 18 still has 45 min headways, and ends at midnight. Hopefully WeGo can get some new buses for the spring to improve the frequency.

But have they tried an ad campaign to change culture? *sarcasm intended

True, I hope they will take out a lane and make a tree lined median. They also have the Tweetsie Trail which is a 9 mile multi use bike and pedestrian path that goes from downtown Elizabethton and connects over to Johnson city on an old rail line.

I was hoping they would redesign it with the new intersection at TN-91 and elk. At least they are willing to close it to car traffic on Friday afternoons in the summer for vendors/people.

A sidewalk with a small newly poured section completing the sidewalk.

Love that @nashvilledot.bsky.social went ahead and filled in this small sidewalk that had been missing for at least three years! Not sure if this was a hub request, but I hope it was just proactive maintenance. Either way, thank you.

A street with a asphalt speed hump.

Lastly, I noticed a simple asphalt speed hump. I recall it being mentioned in a meeting that NDOT wanted to use the temporary humps because our snow plows couldn't go over an asphalt hump. But clearly they can do it in Grand Rapids, they should be able to do it in Nashville. (7/7)

A bike lane with trees around und.

I was appreciated this bike lane pilot in East Grand Rapids. The placement allows snow to accumulate without blocking the bike lane. Dowrown is also incorporating snow-melting technology into sidewalks and roads to protect the river from salt pollution and improve walking. (6/7)

Two lids of bins next to each other comparing the size of the smaller trash and larger recycling bin. The trash bin is the medium size you can get and you pay for the size.

The smallest sized trash can next to the two large recycling bins.

One common complaint from anti-housing advocates is curb management. Grand Rapids has tackled this with a creative approach. Their bins include a paid red lided one for trash and a free yellow-lidded bin for recycling, encouraging recycling and smaller trash bins, which saves curb space. (5/7)

Large blue house with ornate cream trim and trees covering the front.

Large green home with black trim.

Blue house with a wrap around porch.

As I continued, I passed historic houses. Most of wich are actually quadplex, not single-family homes. This diversity in housing helps preserve neighborhoods, creates varied price points, and generates more property tax revenue for public amenities like parks, which have working splash pads. (4/7)

Brick road with a crosswalk and tree lined street.

I ran through a pleasant business district with bulb-outs, crosswalks, trees, and a brick road. These features not only beautify the area but also narrow the road, prompting drivers to slow down and creating a safer environment for pedestrians, making walking more enjoyable. (3/7)

A parking zone with scooters and a bike in it covered by trees on the side of the road.

A recently poured concrete slap in front of a park with a scooter parking zone.

A newly poured slap of concrete with an apartment building behind it.

These parking zones require riders to end their rides there, ensuring clear sidealks. This also encourages bus ridership by placing locations near stops and destinations. One example is a park with new concrete slabs right off the main path, conveniently located near the bus stop. (2/7)

Sewer lid in a road with the city of Grand Rapids on the design.

I recently had the chance to go back to Grand Rapids, Michigan. On my last run, while I was in town, I decided to grab some photos so I could bring you along and share some of the minor details. (1/7)

I walked the dog on it this morning and it feels so much more dangerous. Drivers used to at least move over into the middle of the road when passing. Today I had 3/4 drivers not move over at all or slow down forcing me into yards. It will be even worse when drivers are angry from the train.