Columbia Daily Herald
Jay Powell
A new report shows Middle Tennessee’s public tansit system is lacking, with commute times increasing yearly as more move to the region.
The Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee’s State of the RTA System report states the 10-county region’s population is expected to grow 80 percent by 2040 from 1.7 million recorded in 2010 to 3.1 million in 2040.
The report states the current regional services do not meet the demands for transit and will continue to fall behind as both population and employment densities continue to increase.
Key issues currently facing Middle Tennessee’s transit needs include higher volumes of overall travel and a schedule that does not accommodate the region’s cross-section of workers. The report recommends four areas of improvement and what should be considered for implementation into nMotion, Nashville’s strategic transit plan for 2040.
The first recommendation is to expand services and improve scheduling.
RTA provides 10 routes that connect nine counties to Davidson County, but the service typically runs only two or three trips a day in each direction. To better accommodate the region’s broader cross-section of commuters, a more flexible schedule and more trips will serve a wider range of people and work schedules, the report states.
“What we have heard so far, as we have engaged people in the nMotion process, is that people want convenient and dependable transit services,” Steve Bland, Nashville MTA/RTA chief executive officer, said. “Based on our assessment of the RTA system, we know there are opportunities for significant transit improvements that will be critical to the region’s success. We also know the RTA will need the cooperation of many agencies and partners to make these improvements. Over the coming months, we need the public’s input on what to do next.”
Increasing speeds on express bus services was another recommendation. Express routes often make only one or two stops in outer areas before returning to Nashville and become stuck in the same automobile traffic to and from Nashville. In order to speed up express trips, the report suggests adding freeway shoulders and redesigning services in downtown Nashville, the report states.
Relocating and enhancing park and ride lots to nearby intersections to major highways and along the direct path of express routes was also suggested in the report.
Providing additional types of services and connections was the final recommendation. These new types include all-day regional service, local transit services, reverse commute service, first-and-last-mile connections and providing a higher quality overall service.
“Throughout the country, there has been an increased emphasis on the development of new types of higher-quality transit services,” the report states. “These include commuter rail, rapid transit, light rail, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Rapid Bus/BRT lite, streetcar and more. The stakeholder outreach conducted for this effort has made it clear that one of the strongest desires among Middle Tennessee with respect to transit is for higher-quality services.”
