What kind of street will anchor Nashville’s East Bank? Advocates push for changes to Metro’s vision

As Nashville builds the new Nissan Stadium, its surroundings mostly consist of vacant lots, a recently sold scrapyard and a sea of asphalt.

But Metro hopes that one day the area across the river from downtown will be full of residents walking, biking, shopping and dining. And there’s a chance to build this East Bank neighborhood almost from scratch — and to run a new “East Bank Boulevard” right through the heart of it.

But, right now, there’s a literal fork in the road: Will the boulevard be a major six-lane highway, or will it evoke a tree-lined, European-style street?

In July, less than a mile from where the boulevard will one day exist, a group of bicycle and pedestrian advocates gather at the Civic Design Center.

They’re debating what they want to see on the boulevard. It’s a rare