iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Thanks for bringing attention to this. Do you know what changes were made, removing LPIs for example?

Reposted by Wesley Smith

Robin @jesusurbanist.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

I am committed to publishing my substack at the least read times, every single week. (thanks @johnwesssley.bsky.social for hanging out with me and letting me turn it into a blog post)

open.substack.com

Nashville Is Going Through Some Stuff

A conversation with Wesley Smith about Nashville's growing pains, shifting identity, and hope for Music City.

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

I don’t know what this is about but agreed

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Having a drink at the airport. Watching Brazil Morocco. Los Lonely Boys just came on. Things are alright

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East Nashville Urban Design @urbaneastnash.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Woodbine United Methodist Church had its windows smashed out recently. Their insurance deductible is $10k. They're raising $ to cover the deductible & to do some other needed repairs. This church is a complex that houses community groups including @bikefun.bsky.social givebutter.com/repairing-wu...

givebutter.com

Repairing Woodbine UMC After Vandalism

Let's repair our beloved community space so it can keep serving South Nashville.

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Reposted by Wesley Smith

Steven Hale @iamstevenhale.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Tennessee is all but certain to execute Tony Carruthers here in Nashville tomorrow morning. He would be the 11th man from death row killed by the state here since 2018. I will be one of the media witnesses inside the prison. Threading my stories for @nashvillebanner.bsky.social about the case here:

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Genuine question, what’s going to be done on the East Bank in February 2030?

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

I believe bike only though I'm unsure how bike to/from bus commuters would be counted

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Bucking national trends suggests something special is happening in Nashville, but we need better alignment between land use and infrastructure decisions to see a more substantial increase in bike commuting. This includes the political courage to put housing and jobs where infrastructure is good now

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

This chart is sorted by total bike commuter share. The factors of why some cities are above Nashville are highlighted in green. Factors making cities worse than Nashville are highlighted in red

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

This chart shows that Atlanta probably has more bike commuters than Columbus because it has better land use. Nashville probably does better than Charlotte because we have better infrastructure despite similar land use:

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Takeaway: "If we continue to concentrate our population growth in these dark areas of the county where there are no jobs, we're going to be adding a lot of commuters that don't really have the potential to bike to work almost regardless of what improvements we make to the bike network." -JG

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

The most common bike commuting destinations are in downtown and midtown. The most common origins are sprinkled throughout the urban core and first ring urban suburbs. Notice missing job centers like BNA, 100 Oaks, Green Hills, etc.

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

This is where the interplay between Planning and NDOT comes in. There is a mismatch between our job centers and where we're building housing. This is a huge challenge for growing the share of bike commuters because if you live too far from work, the data says you're not going to bike

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

People are willing to bike commute, as long as that commute is under ~25 minutes. That's true across peer and aspirational peer cities Predictably, your likelihood to bike commute is heavily influenced by how close you live to your job, more so than climate and demographics

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Here's where the data gets interesting. The share of bike commuting falls off a cliff after ~3.5 miles

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Compared to aspirational peers (Portland, Denver, Minneapolis), Nashville is bucking a national trend, seeing a roughly 30% increase in bike commuting since 2014 compared to a roughly 30% decrease in these cities

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Bike commuting in Nashville is growing as a percent of total commuters. The blue line here is the five-year rolling average. The orange is the noisier year-to-year percentage

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

At BPAC last night @jeguth.bsky.social presented on Nashville bike commuting trends and the interplay between housing, job centers, and improving bike infrastructure strategically. Here's a thread of some takeaways and a link to the full presentation: youtu.be/PbJ3I5ZX6WY?...

youtu.be

05/18/26 Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission

YouTube video by Metro Nashville Network

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Full disclose: deleted this earlier when LAFC made it 3-2

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

It’s always jarring opening the street back to cars. Earlier all you could hear on Church was birds chirping

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

This configuration was specific for Tour de Nash so people wouldn’t have to cross at 1st Ave. But not ideal. Spokes plans for a cycle track on the north side to avoid the interstate interchanges. Don’t love cycle tracks but I get it here

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Reposted by Wesley Smith

Sean Parker @seanforfive.com · 16/05/2026

This worked alarmingly well. I really hope we can figure something out while we wait on Spokes.

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Reposted by Wesley Smith

Brandon - "Fietser" @americanfietser.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Streets are for:

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Leaving Tour de Nash on the Spokes teaser! Can’t wait for a protected bike lane here. Let’s build one before JRP comes down

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

And our neighbors to the south can’t event claim that 😈

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

I think it was @jhollymc.bsky.social on a recent pod who taught me Davidson and Sevier are the only donor counties in Tennessee. Figured Davidson was but shocked there’s only two

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

It’s really nice to not be on radar watch

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Freddie O’Connell @freddieoconnell.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Looks like beautiful weather for the Tour de Nash tomorrow! #BikeMonth www.walkbikenashville.org/tourdenash

walkbikenashville.org

Tour de Nash

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Reposted by Wesley Smith

Nashville Cycling City @cycling.city · 15/05/2026

Tour de Nash @walkbikenashville.bsky.social riders! Are you wanting to check out how this years routes intertwine the other cycling infrastructure in town? You can check out all three routes and all other map layers together at: www.cycling.city?event=tdn-2026

cycling.city

Cycling City

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

I don’t know of any official meetup but ACME will be serving beers at the finish

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Let’s have some fun Saturday! How are you enjoying Tour de Nash? 👇👇👇

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Cheering everyone on and hanging out at the finish. Come say hey!

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Reposted by Wesley Smith

Nashville Cycling City @cycling.city · 15/05/2026

Who’s riding Tour de Nash?! 🙋‍♂️ Share your distance and vibe!

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

@colbysledge.bsky.social would there be more of an appetite from Metro for this compared to the subsidy idea you tried to get going?

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Kirsten Bladh @kerstanley.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

The City of Cincinnati just rolled out 0% interest loans for e-bikes. $100/month, no down payment. Cincinnati hills are no joke, so affordable e-bikes could be a game changer for getting more people to bike.

A public service announcement from the city of Cincinnati that reads “Don’t sweat your commute. Beat the hills, skip the gas pump with e-bikes! No big upfront cost. Just monthly payments, zero interest. Test ride one today!”

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

The former public university football coach and current collector of a government paycheck and benefits is lecturing hard working people about mooching?

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

London Lamar’s thrown her hat in in the 9th

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Saddens me how callous people are to others literally dying in the street Not to mention oblivious to the fact that they’re more likely to die walking or driving than anything else they do during the day

Comments on WSMV’s instagram about a protest after the death of cyclist Larry Smith in Germantown

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

She was really debating running over us or turning around

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Nashville Banner @nashvillebanner.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

FACT CHECK: No, Tennessee’s new Congressional map does not balance urban and rural communities. Data shows it does exaggerate gerrymandering and put Black and Democratic voters at a disadvantage. nashvillebanner.com/2026/05/08/t...

nashvillebanner.com

Congressional map redrawn: redistricting or gerrymandering? - Nashville Banner

A scientific look at whether Republican rationale for, or Democratic criticism of the Tennessee's redrawn congressional map is valid, or if both are true.

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Thanks to this reporting, I know what congressional district I'm in. I think. It's not the same as most of my own neighborhood, or the park down the street. Cool.

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

I’m curious if Cohen and Pearson got drawn into the same district. If not, that’s two viable candidates to boost Memphis turnout

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Assuming Andy Ogles will still represent the 5th district, he will represent Downtown Memphis. There is no bottom.

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Reposted by Wesley Smith

Spencer Sharpe @jspencersharpe.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

As of today, 16 people walking or rolling have been killed on Nashville streets this year. This is up from last year, and we’re cutting Vision Zero funding for repaving projects. Join us Monday to demand action.

SAFE STREETS NOW!
Every road death is a policy failure.
This year is the end of Vision Zero's 5 year plan, and 43 lives have already been lost on Nashville streets in 2026.
Join us to demand action!
Monday, May 11th 5:30pm
2nd Ave N & Jr. Gilliam Way

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Bummer. The show went on at Napier

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Wesley Smith @johnwesssley.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

T-Rac brought his own bike. Did some tricks. Kids loved it

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