On Sunday afternoon, August 16, 2020, the Tennessean posted an article, “Mayor John Cooper’s $1.5 Billion Transportation Plan Advances.”
As far as we can tell, it has the potential to be just the investment Nashville needs to build an advanced, enhanced transportation system over time. And without raising taxes (yet)!
By exercising community engagement as a listening tool, Mayor Cooper’s team led by Faye DiMassimo, collected a list of transportation priorities that are of top concern to residents.
This was an important step as many cited their disconnection with the Let’s Move Nashville Plan of 2018. Our communities and neighborhoods are changing faster than we’d like but that means our intentional growth must keep pace–somehow.
One of the most critical tools in the toolbox to grow with purpose and equity is a healthy, safe, accessible transportation system. It truly is the marker of an incredible city because mobility is intersectional to nearly all aspects of the way we live. Mobility is freedom.
Read that again: mobility is freedom.
Mobility affects our health, environment, educational attainment, financial stability, social interaction, and overall access to anything whether it’s essential or otherwise.
In addition, investments in transit have proven to provide healthy returns for cities. It’s no wonder that investing in transit is the number one way to stoke economic recovery.
Read more about the economics of transit:
“Economic Impact of Public Transit” American Public Transportation Association
“Learning From the 2009 Recovery Act” Transportation 4 America and Smart Growth America
While Nashville’s newest transportation plan is still ‘in the works’ we anticipate a complete and solid right-sized, neighborhood-first plan to be unveiled in the next couple months. #CANTWAIT #TRANSITISESSENTIAL