Mayor asks voters to “Choose How You Move” in the November ballot for transit funding.
The Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee applauds Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s announcement that Nashville will proceed with a transit funding referendum this November (see WPLN’s coverage). It’s been five-and-a-half years since the failed “Let’s Move Nashville” referendum. This announcement is a significant step in addressing our region’s transportation and mobility challenges. It also underscores the importance of community involvement in shaping our city’s future.
While this announcement is cause for celebration, it is imperative that the process remain transparent and decision-makers both accountable and actively engaged in the process from now until voting day. The success of this initiative hinges on robust community participation, informed decision-making, and widespread support for transit solutions that benefit all residents.
Mayor O’Connell noted that we are not starting from scratch. He mentioned many of the plans and studies the city has already completed. You can see a short list here[TC1] . He cited that there were over 65,000 community responses over the last decade regarding transportation and mobility. This only makes the case for the need for dedicated funding stronger–let’s get these projects built!
Look at all the plans–and this is NOT all-inclusive!
After years of population and job growth, some would say ‘unrestrained’ and others ‘epic,’ it’s paramount that we make strides to ensure infrastructure and mobility have a fighting chance to recover and catch up to demand. And it’s important to remember that, even with a small tax increase to meet our mobility challenges, Nashville will remain a low-tax city in a low-tax state, which is popular for corporate and personal relocations.
In all likelihood, affordability and livability will improve. With better transit and mobility infrastructure, including services, safety, signals, and more sidewalks, there’s a good chance nearly everyone in the city could feel a positive impact.
Widespread appeal for motorists, bus riders, and pedestrians centered on safety and connectivity seems to be the objective, and we are all the way here for it. When more people can easily access necessities for daily living and social engagements–there’s got to be some benefit to living in the big city, right?–we all win.
We will closely evaluate the plan as it is shared to ensure selected projects align with what we have heard from Nashville’s communities (view our Transit Together report), including projects like advanced transit priority, bus-only lanes, regional connectivity, and walkability, as well as how well these projects support Nashville’s values like sustainability, community, and equity.
As advocates for regional transit, we encourage everyone to stay informed, voice their opinions, and actively participate in transit funding discussions. Together, we can ensure that Nashville’s transit referendum reflects our regional community’s diverse needs and aspirations.
We commend Mayor O’Connell for his leadership and commitment to advancing transit infrastructure, and we look forward to working collaboratively with city officials and residents to support a more accessible, sustainable, and connected Middle Tennessee.
Let’s continue this momentum and work together to shape a brighter transportation future for Nashville because transit is more than a bus.