John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge

Sweeping over the Cumberland River, the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge connects Sparkman Street and Shelby Avenue. The 960-foot long bridge frames the Nashville skyline with three pairs of arches. 

Formerly called the Shelby Street Bridge, the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge is the first bridge to have concrete arched trusses in the United States. It was built in the early 1900s and was opened July 5, 1909. It was originally built as an automobile bridge up until 1998 when it was temporarily due to poor conditions. Rather than being demolished, Nashville decided to convert the nearly century old bridge into a pedestrian bridge, reopening it in 2003. In 2014, it was renamed after John Seigenthaler, a journalist and civil rights advocate who had saved a man’s life on the bridge half-a-century earlier.

Enjoy the city of Nashville from a close up view from one of its most prominent architectural, historical, and beautiful features. At night, the bridge illuminates to reveal one of the prettiest views of Nashville.