Nashville voters overwhelmingly approve transit funding

On November 7, 2024By Littum

Nashville’s “Choose How You Move” $3.1 billion transit plan is moving forward.

Voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly gave the green light to a major overhaul of the city’s bus systems, sidewalks and traffic signals, with 66% of the city voting to approve the plan.

The approval means Davidson County’s sales tax will increase by half a cent, which will go directly to funding the transit plan. The increase takes effect Feb. 1 and puts Davidson County in line with surrounding counties such as Williamson, Wilson, Rutherford, Dickson and Maury, all of which have a combined sales tax of 9.75%.

Passage marks a major victory for Mayor Freddie O’Connell, who has made the referendum a hallmark of his administration since taking the helm last year.

The mayor’s office called the victory minutes before 8 p.m. at a vigil at the historic Voorhees Building in the Gulch neighborhood, where O’Connell stood before an energetic crowd of supporters wearing shirts with slogans such as “Ask me about transit,” “Vote Nashville” and “Immigrants Vote .”

O’Connell said the effort was “something that’s been going on for more than 20 years.”

“Now for the next generation, we will all enjoy the things we deserve: sidewalks, signals, service and safety,” he said in his speech, referring to the plan’s four primary areas of improvement.

The plan’s passage is a shift from 2018, when voters derailed a similar referendum under then-mayors Megan Barry and David Briley that included an ambitious light rail project.

Voters this time apparently had more of an appetite for change as the city sees explosive growth and a need for better public transportation as people are pushed to more affordable outer communities.

From early voters last month to people at the polls on Tuesday, most said they were happy to see the city invest in better transit and infrastructure, even if it means a tax bump.

“Business is growing in our city, so having better transit is critical,” said East Nashville resident Rachel Kopp, who works in the music industry. “And it would be nice to have a sidewalk to walk your dog on.”

“Public transportation needs to be increased,” said Jacie Boyd, who voted at the Hermitage Public Library on Tuesday. “There are a huge number of people here. It takes me, without traffic, 15 minutes to get to work. In rush hour, it’s two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening. I wish there were more options and options for a greater public transport system, it would benefit all people.”

The transit plan will focus on mass improvements over the next several years, including 86 miles of new or upgraded sidewalks, hundreds of smart signals that can improve traffic flow, upgraded bus stops and transit centers, 24-hour bus service and 54 miles of high-capacity transit corridors.

The plan would mean big changes for dangerous roads like Dickerson Pike, which have seen a high number of pedestrian deaths. Dickerson would get more funding for reconfigured streets, sidewalks, crosswalks and adaptive traffic signals.

This sales tax revenue would make up just under half of the plan’s funding, according to the city’s estimate, with the remaining funding coming from other sources such as bond proceeds, fare revenue and federal grants, many of which are only available to cities with a dedicated source of transportation funding.

O’Connell said the need for better public transport is critical as residents feel the growing burden of traffic congestion and rising housing and transport costs.

Officials have noted that WeGo bus ridership levels have jumped past pre-pandemic numbers with more than 2.1 million people in the fourth quarter of the last financial year.

But the plan was not without its detractors.

The Committee to stop an unreasonable tax opposed the referendum, saying low-income families would be unfairly burdened by paying a larger share of their budgets in the sales tax increase.

With the plan moving forward, voters say they are looking forward to a city with better mobility.

“It was hard because I don’t want to see the taxes go up,” resident Melanie Pherson said. “But on the other hand, it’s important to invest in our infrastructure, and the GOP has failed us in improving our streets and roads.”