Nashville council proposal would ban right turns on red in Urban Services District
A Nashville Metro Council proposal would prohibit right turns on red at signalized intersections throughout the city’s Urban Services District, subject to engineering-based exceptions. Bill BL2026-1497 is on the council’s August 4, 2026, agenda, but it remains at first reading and is not law.
What the bill would change
If enacted, the bill would direct the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure to install “No Turns On Red” signs at signalized intersections in the Urban Services District, unless an intersection qualifies for an exception.
Once the signs are installed, drivers facing a steady red signal would have to wait for a green indication before making a right turn. The proposed restriction would apply within the Urban Services District, not automatically throughout Davidson County or the General Services District.
Until the council approves the measure, the ordinance takes effect and signs are installed, current traffic rules remain in place. Under the bill’s text, right turns on red would remain allowed at intersections that are not marked with a no-turn-on-red sign.
Some intersections could be exempt
BL2026-1497 would allow NDOT to designate intersections where right turns on red may remain permitted after an engineering and safety study. The study would have to demonstrate that allowing the movement would not materially increase risk to pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users or other roadway users.
The bill also says the proposed restriction would not apply to emergency vehicles operating under state law while responding to an emergency. It would not guarantee a permanent prohibition at every signalized intersection in the Urban Services District.
Planning and timing
The bill’s core changes to the traffic code would take effect 150 days after enactment. Within 90 days after the new section takes effect, NDOT would be directed to identify the signalized intersections in the Urban Services District, develop an implementation schedule, install or modify traffic-control devices and identify intersections that should remain eligible for right turns on red.
The Metropolitan Government would also be required to conduct a public education campaign before full implementation begins. Those steps mean the proposal would not produce an immediate citywide change for drivers if the council passes it.
Warnings and enforcement
The bill requests that law enforcement officers issue warnings during the first 90 days after implementation for most violations. The request would not apply when a violation contributes to a collision or creates an immediate danger to another roadway user.
Because the measure is still pending, the final ordinance, implementation schedule and enforcement details could change through council action or amendments.
Safety rationale and required review
The bill presents the proposed change as a safety measure for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users and people with disabilities. It also links the proposal to Nashville’s Vision Zero policy and says the Urban Services District contains a high concentration of pedestrians, transit service, schools, parks, businesses, entertainment venues and mixed-use development.
Those statements describe the legislation’s stated rationale. They do not establish that the proposal would produce a particular reduction in crashes or fatalities.
If enacted and implemented, NDOT would have to submit a report to the Metropolitan Council no later than one year after implementation. The report would cover pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle crashes at signalized intersections; fatalities and serious injuries in the Urban Services District; traffic operations and travel-time effects; public complaints and exemption requests; intersections where right turns on red remain permitted; and recommendations for changes or possible expansion.
What happens next
BL2026-1497 was filed July 28, 2026, and the legislation text was printed July 31. The bill is scheduled for Metro Council consideration on August 4, 2026. The council could advance, amend, delay or reject it, so the final outcome remains uncertain.
Drivers, pedestrians, transit users, businesses and neighborhood groups should watch for the council’s action, any revised bill text and future NDOT notices. If the proposal advances, those notices would be important for identifying affected intersections, sign-installation dates, engineering-based exemptions, public-education efforts and enforcement procedures.
Sources
- Metro Council Bill BL2026-1497 legislation details
- Axios Nashville: Council proposal would ban right turns at red lights in most of Nashville
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