Wrestling Over Six Lanes & Eminent Domain

Eminent domain enters the chat as Metro pursues the construction of East Bank Boulevard

From Megan Podsiedlik

Metro is currently negotiating with private property owners to buy land needed to construct the East Bank Boulevard. According to Axios, a spokesperson for the Nashville Department of Transportation confirmed that the city has made purchase offers with $60 million set aside for right-of-way acquisition for the boulevard.

Eminent Domain If an agreement isn’t met, Metro could exercise eminent domain, which would allow the city to purchase the land at fair market value. It's worth noting that the East Bank Development Authority cannot condemn or exercise eminent domain in the East Bank.

Background In 2024, the East Bank Authority bill squeaked through the state legislature at the eleventh hour. As the legislation worked its way through the 113th General Assembly, local stakeholders expressed concern over eminent domain, given that the stretch of land mentioned in the bill goes beyond what is owned by Metro, including all parcels bounded between Interstate 24 and Interstate 65.

At the time, Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) attempted to prevent Metro Nashville’s eminent domain authority on the East Bank before the final vote. His late-filed amendment never saw the light of day, and the House passed the bill 59-18 without debate. Four months later, the Metro Council established the East Bank Authority.

Local Grumblings & Lawsuits: On top of juggling lawsuits filed by developers alleging that the city is stifling private development projects along the East Bank, additional courtroom battles could slow things down if Metro starts exercising eminent domain. Meanwhile, the six-lane design proposed for East Bank Boulevard has caused a stir among locals who would prefer a more walkable-bikeable alternative.

“We again call on Metro leadership and [the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure] to formally reject the six-lane designs for East Bank Boulevard that are opposed by 80 percent of the public and work together with BPAC, [Vision Zero Advisory Committee], advocacy organizations, and the community to design a people-centered street that provides dedicated space for walking, bicycling, and transit, in alignment with our modal hierarchy and the Imagine East Bank vision plan,” reads a recommendation included in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission’s annual report to the mayor.

The Men Behind the Machine We hear endless warnings about the existential dangers of transhumanism and artificial intelligence, but almost none about the individuals and interests behind their advance. What do they believe? What does their vision for the future of humanity look like? How does this affect how they organize and lead their companies?

On Thursday, January 15th, Joe Allen will join us to discuss just that. Allen is a writer and Bannon's War Room correspondent. His 2023 book, Dark Aeon, chronicles the rise of artificial intelligence and transhumanism, arguing that unchecked technological advancement poses a threat to humanity.

This is the second in a series of monthly lectures we'll be hosting. These events are for the benefit of The Pamphleteer. Every dollar earned goes toward supporting our operations and planning future events.

Paying Bard-level subscribers receive free access to this and future events. (Buy Tickets)

HEADLINES

• 🚲 The numbers are in, and transit progressives who rallied behind Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s Choose How You Move initiative are disappointed. Greenway construction stalled at about one mile per year, only 2.6 miles of bikeways were built in 2025 compared to 21.4 miles in 2024, and new sidewalk construction only increased from 3.8 miles in 2024 to 5.9 in 2025. (Scene)
• 🔎 NYP front page news: Nashville tie highlights hypocrisy among Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s new administration. The director of Mamdani’s Office to Protect Tenants, Cea Weaver, once dubbed homeownership a “weapon of white supremacy” and called on the government to “seize private property.” It turns out that Weaver’s mother is a Vanderbilt professor who owns a $1.6 million home in Nashville (NYP)
• 🏘 More millennials and Gen-Zers are moving to Tennessee. Small rentals in college‑anchored towns and affordable options in proximity to major employers have attracted younger generations to the Tristar state. (Tennessean)
• 🍔Vince Gill pays tribute to Brown’s Diner Bar on new EP. The title track penned by Gill immortalizes his first visit to the famed Nashville burger joint 50 years ago. (Music Row)

DEVELOPMENT

• West Nashville site by Trader Joe's, Dalts sells to Charlotte developer (NBJ)
• Lebanese bistro Epice filed permit for Green Hills location (NBJ)
• Gulch mainstay 404 Kitchen closes after 13 years (NBJ)
• Bagel shop planned for city’s west side (Post)
• East Nashville industrial building sells for $3.6M (Post)

THINGS TO DO

View our calendar for the week here.

📅 Visit our On The Radar list to find upcoming events around Nashville.

🎧 On Spotify: Pamphleteer's Picks, a playlist of our favorite bands in town this week.

👨🏻‍🌾 Check out our Nashville farmer's market guide.

TONIGHT

🪕 Larry Cordle Songwriter Night @ Station Inn, 8p, Info

💀 Tennessee Dead @ Tennessee Brew Works, 6p, Info

🪕 Bluegrass Night @ The American Legion Post 82, 7p, Free, Info

🎸 Kelley’s Heroes @ Robert’s Western World, 6:30p, Free, Info

📰 Check out the full newsletter archive here.

Today's newsletter is brought to you by Davis Hunt, Megan Podsiedlik, and Camelia Brennan.