Nashville pedestrian and roadway deaths have spiked in 2026

There have been 13 pedestrian fatalities on Nashville streets this year — a sharp increase over the first portion of last year.

On Monday, a man was fatally struck by a semi-truck at the corner of Gallatin Pike and Trinity Lane in East Nashville.

The victim was identified by The Contributor street newspaper as one of its vendors, 58-year-old Billy Ray. A memorial describes him as someone fighting addiction and facing hardships as an unhoused resident.

The Main Street-Gallatin Pike corridor has become a focus in the city’s Choose How You Move initiative. In a meeting last month, Metro officials reported there were more than 800 crashes in the last three years along the stretch. They said high vehicle speeds, poor lighting, and lack of pedestrian infrastructure are all safety concerns.

The intersection of Trinity and Gallatin is one of several marked as needing improvement.

As of this time last year, three people had died on foot in Nashville. Metro Nashville Police Department says traffic fatalities of all types have been higher so far this year, including two cyclist and six motorcyclist deaths.