Spatial Analysis of the Historical Impacts of Interstate 40 upon the North Nashville Community

David A. Padgett, Assistant Professor of Geography, Department of History, Geography, and Political Science, Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee 37209, (615) 963-5508 phone, (615) 963-5497 fax, dpadgett@tnstate.edu

Nekya Young, Environmental Trainee, Geographic Information Sciences Laboratory, GRD-216, Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee 37209, (615) 963-5508 phone, (615) 963-5497 fax, nekyay@yahoo.com.

The construction of Interstate 40 through the North Nashville community during the 1960s has been blamed for the decline of what was once a socio-economically and culturally vibrant African American enclave.  The project was allowed to go forward only after a bitter fight versus residents that concluded with a U.S. Supreme Court decision.  The predominantly African American neighborhoods that stood in what is now the highway corridor immediately lost over 1,000 residents.  Many more relocated in subsequent years.  Cut off from their customer base, many businesses failed over the past three decades.  Efforts to revive North Nashville's Jefferson Street district, including approximately $250 million in public funds, have had mixed success.  Only very recently has there been significant redevelopment and signs of change.  However, the region has a long way to go to recapture its past glory.  There are some who argue that the highways' dissection of the community has left a permanent, irreparable scar that will render any efforts to revitalize the neighborhoods fruitless. 

This project involves the application of geographic information systems (GIS) technology to assess the historical impacts of the Interstate from 1960 to 1980.  Map overlays of the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of North Nashville's population by census tract graphically display the transition the community underwent during and after the highway construction.  Approximations in the geographic distribution are made due to several tracts' numbers and shapes having changed somewhat over the 30-year period of interest.  Only one tract retained the same dimensions from 1960 to 1980.   Of special interest are changes in total population, Black population, educational attainment, median household income, and other attributes that could be used to measure community stability.  Results clearly illustrate the initial loss of population that occurred with the initiation of the construction project.  Population loss following completion of the highway in the early 1970s is apparent, but reasons for it are less obvious.

The impact assessment using GIS provides a spatial perspective on the extent to which the community was impacted.  The results will be shared with local organizations working to attract commercial and residential development to North Nashville.  The GIS maps, combined with other spatial data such as parcel maps, may be used to target areas where infrastructure improvements will have the best chance of resulting in community revitalization.