Mayor Freddie O’Connell celebrates unanimous council support for putting transportation referendum on November ballot

Metro Council unanimously passed on third reading the ballot language for Mayor Freddie O'Connell's transportation improvement program, Choose How You Move: An All-Access Pass to Sidewalks, Signals, Service, and Safety.

This is the fourth piece of critical legislation to pass unanimously this year; previous unanimous votes include the mayor's capital spending plan, the FY2025 operating budget, and the East Bank developer agreement with The Fallon Co.

Investing in the city's transportation system is uniquely popular among Nashvillians. The latest polling from Vanderbilt shows 84 percent of Nashvillians support holding a transportation referendum, and 90 percent of people surveyed by Imagine Nashville agree that investing in city-wide public transportation is an important priority.

"Council's strong support for our transportation referendum puts Nashville on the doorstep of a great opportunity," Mayor Freddie O'Connell said. "Choose How You Move builds on more than 66,000 ideas submitted by Nashvillians over more than a decade, includes improvements in each Council district for all roadway users, and has the potential to unlock as much as $1.4 billion in state and federal funding throughout the life of the program so more of Nashville's tax dollars return home to our city. Sidewalks, signals, service, and safety are the things Nashville residents are asking for. They're the things we know we need, and the vote in November represents our best chance yet to change our transportation future."

Feedback from Nashvillians helped shape more than 70 transportation plans, and Mayor O'Connell and his team used that input to craft a transportation improvement program that lays the groundwork for a more connected city for all Nashvillians.

The following is a snapshot of what's included in Choose How You Move:

• 86 miles of sidewalk improvements. When combined with annual capital spending, this will complete the entire WalkNBike Nashville priority sidewalk network.
• 54 miles of upgraded corridors to provide faster, safer, and more reliable transit options
• A transit system that runs 24/7/365 because Nashvillians don't just work from 9-to-5. That doubles the frequent service and adds nearly double the number of crosstown routes. Plus, there will be new express routes to get Nashvillians to popular locations more quickly.
• 12 community transit centers will connect to each other, so riders don't have to go downtown just to get to some other part of the city.
• 17 new park and ride facilities.
• 35 miles of upgraded and new bicycle facilities
• And the thing that might help Nashvillians the most: upgrades to traffic signals at almost 600 intersections - two of every three signalized intersections in Nashville - to make sure we all hit more green lights. This will help people moving around the city whether they're walking, rolling, biking, taking transit, or driving.

Choose How You Move invests in all corners of the county (residents are encouraged to use the interactive maps on transit.nashville.gov to see what is coming to their neighborhood), and it allows the city to lower the cost of living for residents who are burdened by the implicit tax of having to own and maintain a car (AAA estimates that is $1,000 per month on average for residents). "Since taking office, our team has used two goals to guide not only our work on transit but on all opportunities. Those goals are improving quality of life and lowering cost of living for more Nashvillians," Mayor O'Connell added.

Kraft CPAs, an independent certified public accounting firm, examined the Choose How You Move Transportation Improvement Program's Plan of Finance and determined that the financing plan for the Program is feasible.

Below is the ballot language approved by Metro Council:

"Passage of this measure adopted by Ordinance BL2024-427, allows the Metropolitan Government to complete the entire priority sidewalk network when combined with annual capital spending, provide significantly expanded 24-hour public transportation service 365 days a year including frequent service on major routes, add more neighborhood transit centers, improve safety for all roadway users, and upgrade and modernize nearly two-thirds of the city's signalized intersections.

This program's capital cost is estimated to have a current cost of $3,096,000,000. Once construction is complete, the estimated value of recurring annual operating and maintenance costs is approximately $111,000,000. The Metropolitan Transit Authority (WeGo), Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure, Metro Planning Department, and Mayor's Office, in partnership with other Metro departments, will undertake implementation of the program.

This program will be funded by federal grants, revenues from transportation system fares, debt, and a sales tax surcharge of 0.5%. The tax surcharge will end once all debt issued for the transit improvement program has been paid and the Metropolitan Council determines by resolution that the revenues from the tax surcharges are no longer needed for operation of the program.

FOR or AGAINST"

The Election Commission will now hold a final vote to approve the program's placement on the November ballot.

Mayor O'Connell will join members of the Metro Council and Choose How You Move supporters for a ceremonial signing of the Choose How You Move Transportation Improvement Program (BL2024-427) at the Nashville Public Library Bordeaux Branch (4000 Clarksville Pike) following the ribbon cutting for WeGo's 300th Bus Shelter installation at 3939 Clarksville Pike on Friday, July 19 at 10 a.m.

Reactions from members of the Metropolitan Council are included below:

Vice Mayor Angie Henderson: "I have been pleased to see so many Metro Council Members sponsoring and supporting this legislation, which advances an effective and far-reaching network of transit improvements. With passage of this bill, I know the Council and I will continue to engage in public education efforts around the county this summer and fall, sharing what can be achieved through a dedicated source of funding for a truly multimodal program designed for all Nashvillians."

Budget and Finance Committee Chair Delishia Porterfield: "Choose How You Move gives people the choice of how to navigate around our city. Less time at red lights means more time with our friends and family. We all deserve reliable access to transit, regardless of where we live or our socioeconomic status."

Budget and Finance Committee Vice Chair Kyontze Toombs: "Efficient, accessible, and affordable transportation is essential to our quality of life. Nashvillians want an improved transportation system that works for them, and the Metro Council strongly supports giving voters this opportunity. Choose How You Move lays the foundation for becoming a more connected and equitable city."

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Sean Parker: "This Council vote is an important step toward a safer, more accessible Nashville, and I am grateful for my colleagues and cosponsors advancing the transportation improvement plan. We now turn our focus to the most important vote - November 5th - when every Nashvillian will have an opportunity to weigh in. I encourage every voter to read up on the plan, attend meetings, and talk with their neighbors about a safer, more accessible future for Nashville."

Planning and Zoning Committee Chair Jennifer Gamble: "Our work tonight sets up a critical decision for Nashvillians on November 5. They will have a choice of advancing a transportation plan that moves and works for everyone. I'm confident our residents are ready for safer, more effective streets."

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