WSMV News Channel 4
Haley Mason
Nashville transportation officials are reaching out early as they try to come up with the best options for mass transit.
Wednesday, MTA and RTA officials discussed a light rail as a possibility for Nashville.
Traffic is already a hot topic in Nashville, and more than 1 million people are expected to move to the region in the next 25 years.
“They are moving in from other places and it’s getting a little bit more crowded,” said James Wilson, who works in downtown Nashville.
Transportation officials have been trying to get feedback on how to improve transit in Nashville and the 10 surrounding counties through the nMotion project. They have laid out this transit vision online.
“On our planning strategy, we are unveiling a number of strategies,” said Steve Bland, CEO of Nashville MTA and RTA. “Things like light rail, commuter rail, bus rapid transit, street car, a number of other options. And really the idea is to get middle Tennesseans more familiar with the options that might be available to the region.”
The latest study features the light rail system, arguably one of the most popular options. The electric rail system is designed to serve high-volume urban areas at high speeds.
“It’s not going to be one solution like light rail,” Bland said. “It’s going to have to be a series of alternatives that we approach.”
As with any major project, cost is a major factor. A light rail system would cost about $100 million per mile to build.
A cheaper alternative could be a freeway or bus rapid transit, where a bus would take up its own lane on the interstate. It’s one idea of many being researched.
“I think the bus idea is a good idea,” said Andre Phillips, who lives in Nashville. “But the cable transportation, I think that will just make traffic worse.”
While there are several ideas on the table, officials said their biggest request is for feedback.
“We’re taking the comments that people report very seriously as we weigh out the options,” Bland said.
Officials said it’s too early to discuss cost at this point, but they are holding a series of public meetings.
A county planning meeting for Wilson County will be held Thursday from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Capitol Theater in Lebanon. There are several other meetings planned.
