NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The commute in and out of Nashville keeps getting slower, and longer, as the Metro area grows. Mayor Freddie O’Connell wants voters to weigh in on his plan to tackle the transit problems this fall.
He’s leaning toward a half cent sales tax increase to help fund a new transit system.
Jessica Dauphin with Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee would like to see a thriving public transit system across Music City. The last major plan failed in a big way.
Mayor Freddie O’Connell says this plan is different.
"The overall profile is something that will have high impact and low cost compared to the 2018 plans," Mayor O’Connell said.
He’s committed to improving Nashville's traffic situation. He wants to add more buses, more sidewalks, and better traffic signals. He put together a couple committees to study the problem and recommend solutions.
Dauphin is a part of the Technical Advisory Committee. They’re also working with a community committee to figure out the best option for Nashville.
"I want to see a Nashville where if I walk up to a bus stop and see it pulling away I don’t start sweating. I know another bus is coming in 10 mins and I’m okay," Dauphin said.
The mayor wants to fund the “Choose How You Move” plan by raising the sales tax by half a cent.
"Nashville is unique in that you have 60 percent of your sales surcharge that would be funded by nonresidents, so the tourists and commuters that come into Davidson County every day," Amanda Vandegrift, with InfraStrategies said.
They drafted up maps to show the key improvements focusing on the mayor’s priorities. Dauphin wants to make sure this plan gets more people excited about using public transportation.
"To own a car cost between $9,000 and $12,000 a year now that’s a significant tax we’re already paying," Dauphin said.
She thinks the referendum has a chance at passing in November.
"Yes, it’s a little bit of an increase on our Kroger bill and Target receipt but we’re also getting something very important for today and the future," Dauphin explained.
Nashville has conducted more than 70 plans and studies, including input from tens of thousands residents.
The mayor's office says three out of every four Nashvillians strongly agree that investing in city-wide public transportation is an important priority for the future.
If the referendum passes, the technical advisory committee says it would make the city of Nashville more competitive to receive federal dollars to help pay for the transit upgrades.
The sales tax increase would also bring Davidson County up to par with nearly all of the surrounding counties.
