NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — At Hickory Hollow Mall, the wheels are turning on something new.
"The 55 Murfreesboro Pike is our most popular bus route, and it's also the fastest growing," Public Information Officer for WeGo Public Transit, Eric Melcher, said.
That growth is what makes the location a perfect place for a new WeGo transit center.
"Some folks rely on transit, it's all they've got," Melcher said.
The new transit center, called the Hickory Hollow Transit Center, will join two other centers, one outside Hillsboro High School and one that is expected in north Nashville in the Spring. It will include 4 to 6 bus bays with seating, a climate-controlled waiting area with amenities and charging for electric vehicles.
The project recently received a $5 million federal grant. It's estimated the transit center will cost $20 million.
Joy Styles is the council member for the district.
"But my favorite, which I have been discussing is a legitimate express bus," she said. "A bus that will go from southeast community center and maybe make two stops before it gets to bus central."
In addition to the new center, WeGo will implement new local and express services to help people get to where they're going even faster.
"People are moving here expecting a transportation system, then we're offering them virtually nothing," Styles said.
She said better public transit will mean a better quality of life for commuters.
"If it's going to take me an hour to get downtown, then I have to switch buses, then that's going to take me another hour to get where I'm going to go...why would I use the bus?" she said.
The new center will also serve as a transfer hub, making it easier for riders to get from one route to another.
Designs for the center will need to go before Metro Council for approval. The exact location of the transit center on the mall's property is still being determined.
