Our community streets are more than just roads, they are where families walk, children may bike to school, neighbors connect, and local businesses grow. A road diet re-allocates the existing space within a roadway to make streets safer, calmer, and more welcoming for all road users.   

What is a Road Diet?  

A road diet typically involves reducing the number of vehicle travel lanes and using that space to accommodate all users. The extra space can be used for features such as:  

• Turn lanes  
• Bicycle lanes
• Traffic calming improvements 

These changes are carefully evaluated using traffic studies and engineering analysis to ensure the road continues to function effectively while improving safety and quality of life.  

Benefits for Our Neighborhoods & Schools 

Road diets have proven to reduce speeding and dangerous crashes. Slower, more predictable traffic creates a safer environment for drivers, bicyclists, and children that may be walking/biking nearby.

"With this road diet, we are creating less crossing distance for students to cross the street to go to school and bringing the two neighborhoods together that are on both sides of the road," said Neetu Singh, Traffic Engineer.

As an added benefit, when traffic moves at safer speeds, neighborhoods feel quieter, more connected, and more inviting.  

What does this look like for Collierville Arlington Road?  

Collierville-Arlington Road serves as an important corridor for our community, connecting neighborhoods, local businesses, homes, and school routes. This road diet is designed to create a safer, more welcoming roadway for everyone who travels along it.

The project will re-allocate the existing roadway width and provide one travel lane in each direction, two-way left turn lane, and buffered bike lanes. Depending on the width and center sections, any additional space will be used to provide parking lanes or shoulders. The project will be completed in two phases and the speed limit will be reduced to 35 mph to enhance safety for all road users.  These improvements contribute to a calmer, safer driving environment.

Phase 1

TDOT will stripe the major lines along Collierville Arlington starting at Shelton Road. This will be completed in 30 days; the exact timeline is to be determined.

Phase 2

After TDOT completes the striping, the Town will go in and add the final touches such as hatching on the sides of the road, bike lane symbols, and new signage.

Overall, these enhancements will help transform Collierville-Arlington Road into a corridor that better serves the needs of drivers, families, students, pedestrians, cyclists, and the surrounding community.

See the rendering below as an example of an area of the road diet on Collierville Arlington Road.  

BEFORE:

AFTER:

AFTER (AERIAL VIEW):