Nashville readers say costly parking keeps them away from downtown
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For some Nashvillians, the biggest obstacle to a night downtown isn't finding something to do. It's finding somewhere affordable to park.
Catch up quick: We asked readers in June what would encourage them to spend more time downtown. Their responses repeatedly pointed to parking.
What they're saying: West Nashville resident Rose Mary M. said she used to meet friends downtown for dinner and events. She would park for free at Nissan Stadium and walk across the pedestrian bridge.
- "Now there is no free parking and parking fees have become outrageous so we avoid downtown," she wrote. "I know if parking were free or reduced we would go downtown more."
🚗 Driving the blues: Many readers said parking headaches had effectively eliminated spontaneous trips to the downtown neighborhood.
- Sarah C. said she'll pay to park for a concert or other big event. But when considering a casual night out, "my immediate next thought is, 'Where are we parking?'"
- Kira H. offered a straightforward wish list: "Affordable and available, convenient public parking. That's it. Cost is ridiculous."
The intrigue: Paid parking around the city has increasingly come to rely on drivers using their phones to pay.
- Nashville began replacing traditional coin-operated street meters with smart kiosks in 2023, adding options to pay by phone. Private lots have also embraced QR-code payments.
- For readers like Barbara Y. that's a deal-breaker: "If I need a cell phone to park: I don't."
Zoom out: Randy R. suggested low-cost parking on downtown's outskirts, paired with shuttle service to popular attractions.
The big picture: Parking isn't the only thing keeping readers away from the entertainment district.
- Readers also identified other factors that cut against their downtown visits, including traffic, transportainment party vehicles and a lack of businesses that actually cater to locals rather than tourists.