The city of Nashville is trying to get back on track with some of the projects proposed in the 2016 nMotion plan—even without the massive pot of transit tax money it could have won at the ballot box.
"Metro officials hope an $18 million transit center will spark fresh activity in a part of town that has felt few ripples from Nashville's overall boom," reports Meg Garner in an article that might be blocked by a paywall for some readers.
Aaron Short provides additional, paywall-free coverage of the transit center plans, also providing background on the Let's Move Nashville transit funding referendum rejected by voters in May 2018. As noted by Short and Garner, the transit center is a part of the nMotion transit plan approved by Nashville region officials in 2016. In 2019, the transit center plans will rely on funding from the federal government.
Short describes the vision for the proposed transit center. "Once completed, the enclosed station would have up to four open-air bus bays with a climate-controlled passenger-waiting area, cyclist amenities and facilities conveying real-time locations of incoming buses, according to the MTA. Three bus routes now provide service through the location but the hub could provide connections for up to three more routes, including rapid bus services."
Short offers a lot more information on the political and planning context for the new proposal, as also recently provided by TransitCenter. Transit is tricky in Nashville—as more anecdotes than the failure of Let's Move Nashville prove. This past June, WeGo (née Nashville MTA) announced it would eliminate eight bus routes and raise fares from $1.70 to $2.
Nashville Loses Out on Federal Transit Grant, Adding to Agency's Budget Woes
WeGo Public Transit did not receive a grant to build a transit center, and transit advocates say it’s a sobering setback in light of the agency’s other budget challenges.
Nashville Mulls Funding Ideas for its $6 Billion Regional Transit Plan
The Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee adopted the most comprehensive and expansive version of the nMotion plan. Now they have to fund all those big ideas.
Five Corridors of High Capacity Transit Coming to Nashville
A 25-year regional transit plan, which includes five corridors for light rail or bus rapid transit lines, is taking shape in Nashville,
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.
Chicago Approves Green Affordable Housing Plan
The Mayor’s plan calls for creating a nonprofit housing corporation tasked with building affordable housing that meets Green Building standards.
E-Scooter Parking: A Guide
How smart planning — and ample designated parking — can end conflicts over shared scooters.
‘It’s Been 50 years’: Public Transit Law Passes in Montana
Legislation would fix transportation district issue, allow for greater reach on city bus routes.
Top 10 Tech-Ready Cities
An index ranks U.S. cities based on their preparedness for the ‘smart city future.’
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions