Beginning Monday, March 4, the vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle and scooter routes in the Frist Athletics Village will be changing. Please review the maps below to plan your trip.
Vehicles
Updates:
- 25th Avenue between Highland Avenue and the drive in front of the Studio Arts Building will be closed to vehicle traffic
- The drive in front of the Studio Arts Building has been widened to accommodate two-way traffic, detouring to Garland Drive and 24th Avenue South
Continuing Impacts:
- 25th Avenue will remain closed from Blakemore Avenue to Highland Avenue
- Jess Neely Drive is permanently closed to vehicle traffic
- Natchez Trace will remain closed between Jess Neely Drive and West End Avenue
Pedestrians
Updates:
- The west sidewalk on 25th Avenue between the Student Life Center and Highland Place will be closed. Pedestrians on 25th Avenue can walk in front of the Student Life Center across Garland Avenue near the Engineering and Science Building
Continuing Impacts:
- Pedestrians should follow posted detour signs
- On 25th Avenue, one side of the street will be open between the Student Recreation Center and Highland Avenue
- On 25th Avenue, south of Highland Quad, pedestrians should detour to 24th Avenue South or Natchez Trace. A crosswalk between the Student Recreation Center and Highland Quad is in place but may shift location as construction progresses. Flaggers, temporary ramps and signs will help navigate the work zone.
- A temporary, accessible sidewalk is open to connect Jess Neely Drive to 25th Avenue South near McGugin Center. The route between Jess Neely and 25th Avenue South will be modified to run behind the tennis courts.
Bicycles and Scooters
Updates:
- 25th Avenue between Highland Avenue and the drive in front of the Studio Arts Building will be closed to bicycle traffic
- The drive in front of the Studio Arts Building has been widened to accommodate two-way traffic, detouring to Garland Drive and 24th Avenue South
Continuing Impacts:
- Due to space limitations along the modified pedestrian route at Jess Neely near the tennis center, bicyclists and scooter riders may not ride across Jess Neely Drive during this phase of work
- Bicyclists and scooter riders can dismount and walk to bike parking facilities at the McGugin Center from the Natchez Trace to the west, or to bike parking facilities at the tennis center from east/25th Avenue South
- Non-dismount access to campus by the Recreation Center Path and Highland Quad will remain open, but cyclists will also be able to move east/west along Children’s Way
***All routes are subject to change; watch for updates.
The Central Utilities Initiative
The Central Utilities Initiative was announced in January 2023 and will enhance the resiliency and redundancy of utility systems on campus. The new power plant and improved distribution lines will increase capacity for utility generation. The Highland Power Plant, designed to achieve LEED certification, is being built on the recreation field on 25th Avenue South, next to the David Williams II Recreation and Wellness Center.
Similar to the Phase I construction project in the Peabody Neighborhood in 2020, CUI will convert the original underground steam distribution system to hot water, saving considerable energy, and install chilled water lines, supporting the university’s sustainability goals. In alignment with Vanderbilt’s FutureVU vision, the project will include road improvements, the burying of overhead utilities and an enhanced pedestrian-centric environment—comparable to the transformation of the West End Neighborhood in 2019.
View more information about the project on the Central Utilities Initiative website and see updates on the project timeline
Email the Campus Planning and Construction Department with questions or concerns.
