The MTA Board of Directors meeting Thursday, June 27th, was dominated by a discussion of proposed route and fare changes. Over 80 residents attended and many had comments to share.
The changes were proposed by WeGo Public Transit staff at the previous MTA Board of Directors meeting, May 23, 2019. as a response to an $8.7 million budget deficit.
After numerous community meetings in May and June to discuss these proposed changes and taking into account feedback from the community, WeGo staff made edits to their original proposal before submitting a final proposal to the board for voting.
A few edits to the original proposal include the following:
Sunday service on the 25-Midtown will continue.
Midday service on the 77-Thompson Connector will continue.
Hours of service for the 8-8th Ave South and 17-12th Avenue South will be extended.
Many public comments made were grateful to WeGo staff for their handling of the situation. Additionally, many ended their allotted 3-minute comments with a plea for dedicated funding for public transit.
Organizations like Middle Tennessee Uplift Foundation, Music City Riders United, Transit Alliance, Transit Now Nashville, and Connect Mid-TN joined the collective refrain.
Here are Transit Alliance’s comments:
“We want to recognize WeGo staff for making this a people-first, data-supported proposal. Public transit and transportation services in a city the size of Nashville demand and deserve a sustainable, dedicated funding source. The burden of funding a service as essential as mobility should not rest on the back of a city’s general funds that must also address housing, health, and safety. These are critical services we support and rely on. Public transit is no different. Without transit, how many of our neighbors would not have access to vital human services, jobs, education, healthcare, etc. Mobility is key. It is freedom. It is opportunity. It is access. Health. Too often, it is the difference between obtaining an education or not; getting a job or not; or improving one’s earning potential or not. Mobility is essential. Thank you, WeGo staff and leadership, for showing up. Faced with this challenge, you didn’t put your heads down, you put your heads together. Yes, teamwork made the dream work this time. But it is my sincere hope that we are not asking you to go through this process again in a year. I hope we can find our way to sustainable, dedicated funding for transit. Thank you.”