NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Nashville mayor Freddie O’Connell announced 11 projects Friday to begin the implementation of the city’s Choose How You Move transportation improvement program.
“Since passage of Choose How You Move, we have worked in earnest to get projects underway, and today, we are celebrating several foundational steps that will pave the way for future improvements,” Mayor Freddie O’Connell said in a release. “I am looking forward to Nashvillians starting to see the benefits of investing in ourselves. We deserve more time with our friends and family and less time simply trying to get to them.”
To fund the projects, Mayor O’Connell submitted a supplemental budget to Metro Council to review, according to a release. The Metro Department of Finance estimates the sales tax surcharge will generate $59.3 million through the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30, 2025.
Since the funds were not anticipated in the original Fiscal Year 2025 budget, as voters had not yet approved the measure, Mayor O’Connell will submit a budget to the Metro Council outlining how the revenue will support progress on the new projects.
- Low-income Fare Subsidy Program – will increase the number of individuals qualifying for free or reduced fares on WeGo Public Transit. Program planning and design to begin later this spring with implementation in the fall.
- WeGo Service Expansion – helps fund improvements announced in February as part of WeGo summer service changes, making routes more frequent and accessible. Funds purchase of 12 new buses to support increased service levels.
- Murfreesboro Pike Queue Jump – adds a business access transit lane in the outbound direction between Shumate and Edge O Lake with a queue jump signal at Edge O Lake, saving 2-4 minutes of travel time by allowing buses to bypass 1,400 feet of queued traffic, producing 10,000 hours of time savings for riders.
- West End Curbside Bus Lane Pilot – improves travel time for buses between 25th and 31st Avenue, one of the densest corridors in the city.
- Fiber Installation – initiates planning to support systemwide fiber installations, which are a critical technology component for signal upgrades and transportation system technologies.
- Signal Upgrades – initiates planning to support upgrading 592 traffic signals to smart signals.
- South Broadway Transit Center – initiates planning for a new transit center south of Broadway in downtown Nashville, enabling decentralization of the transit network to allow for more convenient crosstown routes.
- Street improvement projects – funds planning and design to inform construction of 39 miles of street infrastructure projects across the county.
- WeGo Public Transit Security upgrades – as announced on March 1, increases the number of contracted hours with WeGo’s security firm and allows for appointment of first Transit Liaison within Metro Nashville Police Department.
- New bus operations and maintenance facility – initiates planning for a new, expanded operations and maintenance facility to accommodate service expansion. Capacity is exceeded at existing facilities at Myatt and Nestor.
- Main Street/Gallatin Pk. All-Access Corridor Phase 1 – design of Gallatin Pike All-Access Corridor from Interstate Drive to Eastland Avenue. Future Corridor to includes new median, median and curbside bus lanes, queue jumps at select intersections, new sidewalks, crosswalks and bike facilities.
Last week, Metro police announced Capt. Brian Williams would serve as transit liaison to improve safety at WeGo facilities, specifically, WeGo’s downtown hub and neighborhood transit centers.
“This is just the next step in helping us to make sure that our riders and our employees feel as safe as possible when using the system,” said Nick Oldham, WeGo’s chief safety and security officer.
Crime at WeGo bus stops and hubs remain an issue. In fact, one of the most recent incidents took place Wednesday at a bus station in downtown Nashville. According to an arrest affidavit, five people were involved in a fight at the station.
Earlier this month, on Feb. 5, three men were arrested for beating and robbing a man at WeGo Central. Meanwhile, back in November, a 16-year-old was shot and killed in the waiting area at WeGo Central.
The Choose How You Move transportation improvement program in Nashville is expected to last 15 years, with improvements from one year building on the ones before it.
