I-440 Greenway Cost-Benefit Analysis

Overview

In 2018, Nashville launched an effort to expand the city’s greenway network along the I-440 corridor and needed Wilmot’s help to secure grant funding. The greenway will stretch 7 miles long along I-440 upon completion and will provide a continuous, multi-use path that enhances connectivity, encourages active transportation, and revitalizes adjacent communities.

This project not only represents a vital investment in sustainable urban mobility but also serves as a catalyst for public health, safety, and economic vitality in the greater Nashville area. The I-440 Greenway will ultimately serve thousands of daily users, offering a safer, greener alternative to vehicular traffic while connecting neighborhoods and key destinations.

Wilmot’s Role

Wilmot was responsible for developing the benefit-cost analysis (BCA) submitted as part of the TIGER grant application. Leveraging federal BCA methodology, Wilmot modeled the long-term value of the project’s social, economic, and environmental impacts. The analysis evaluated critical factors including:

  • Projected user volume

  • Travel time savings

  • Improved safety outcomes

  • Congestion reduction

  • Enhanced mobility

  • Public health gains from increased physical activity

  • Reduced workplace absenteeism

  • Recreational benefits

Wilmot’s data-driven assessment demonstrated over $300 million in projected benefits and a compelling benefit-cost ratio of nearly 8:1. The strength of the analysis caused the application’s success, earning the highest possible score in the TIGER grant review process—the grant readers reported that Wilmot’s BCA was the best they had ever seen. The project’s success advances the case for investment in Nashville’s active transportation infrastructure.

Results

  • Cost-benefit ratio of 8:1

  • $300M in benefits

  • TIGER’s highest review score for economic analysis

Client

Metro Planning Department

Metro Parks Department

Greenways for Nashville

Location

Nashville, TN

Markets

Municipal

Services

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Grant Writing