25-Year Regional Transit Plan Revealed for Nashville

"A proposed regional transit plan for Nashville is finally on the table, and — as expected — it includes the full spectrum of options, bringing with it a $5.97 billion price tag over the next 25 years," reports Joey Garrison.

The framework plan, called nMotion [pdf], would spend $6 billion to "[c]onnect Nashville and Clarksville with commuter rail. Build light rail on four busy Nashville corridors. Install bus rapid transit on three other major roadways." Also included are "recommendations for “freeway BRT” and bus-on-shoulder service on Middle Tennessee interstates, a transit network serving the airport, new regional transit hubs and improvements to the city’s existing buses for more frequent, efficient and easier service."

According to Garrison, Nashville MTA launched the planning process 15 months ago, gathering 15,569 survey responses and 3,291 public comments along the way. The MTA reports a clear preference from those engagements for a comprehensive regional transit system. The Nashville MTA board must still approve the plan—then comes the hard part of funding and building the plan's components.

A map of the proposed nMotion regional transit plan. (Nashville MTA)