Transit Stat Napkin Math

 by MEGAN PODSIEDLIK, The Pamphleteer, April 29, 2024 - During April 19th’s transit unveiling, the mayor and his speakers dropped interesting statistics about Nashville— some about the new transit plan, some about the city’s makeup and demographics, and some that were a bit more questionable than others. For instance… 

• More than 140 languages are spoken in Metro Nashville Public Schools.
• 13 percent of the city's population is foreign born.
• Metro Nashville is home to “hundreds of thousands” of immigrants, including Afghan parolees, Venezuelan asylum seekers, and Ukrainian refugees.
• 80 percent of WeGo’s riders are picked up along 10 of the city’s busiest roadways.
• According to the federal Department of Transportation, those who ride Tennessee public transit extend their commute time by 67 percent.
• And, according to AAA, the average Nashvillian pays $12,000 a year to own and maintain a vehicle.

According to O’Connell, here's how things will change under the Choose How You Move Plan. 

• The half-cent sales tax increase cost most Nashvillians about $70 per year.
• About 60 percent of our sales tax is paid by people who live somewhere else.
• One out of three Nashvillians will have direct, walkable access to a transit site.
• 12 monitored transit centers in key locations throughout the city, adding routes that link neighborhoods without going through downtown.
• 17 park and ride facilities will be added near high-capacity transit routes.
• WeGo Star commuter rail services will be added for travel to special events.
• 285 bus stops will be upgraded with weather covers and real time location tracking.
• Up to 26 acres of land will be acquired by Metro to build affordable housing and parks near transit hubs.

And looking into the future...

• Within five years, a traffic management center will be added and over 150 signals will be upgraded or modernized.
• Within 10 years, 60 miles of sidewalks will be built or upgraded.
• Within 15 years, 600 traffic signals will be upgraded, 86 miles of sidewalks will be completed, roadway safety projects will be completed within the 76-mile Vision Zero high injury network, and high-capacity transit will be established in all of Nashville's busiest corridors. 

Top Stories