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    • What you should know about taxes and improvements
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    What you should know about taxes and improvements

    Kathleen William Posted on

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    • Improvements will be introduced over a 15-year period, including some immediate changes to bus services, lighting and safety.
    • The sales tax increase goes into effect Feb. 1 and is estimated to cost a family of four $10 more per month.

    Nashville voters approved a $3.1 billion transportation plan Tuesday that will fund improvements to the city's bus system, sidewalks, traffic signals and more.

    The “Choose How You Move” transportation improvement plan was a hallmark of Mayor Freddie O'Connell's administration and was overwhelmingly approved at the polls.

    “For the next generation, we will all enjoy the things we deserve: sidewalks, signals, service and safety,” O’Connell said in a speech Tuesday, pointing to the plan’s four key areas of improvement.

    The approval means Davidson County's sales tax will be increased by half a cent, which will be used directly to fund the transit plan. The increase goes into 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 9.75% sales tax.

    Here's everything you need to know about Nashville's public transit improvements.

    What transit improvements are included in the plan?

    The traffic improvement plan includes four categories: service, signals, sidewalks and safety. The expanded WeGo bus service (including additional routes, more transit centers, and 24-hour service) is the most expensive part of the plan.

    Improvements include:

    • 86 miles of new or upgraded sidewalks
    • 592 smart signals that can improve traffic flow
    • 285 modernized bus stops
    • 12 strategically located transit centers
    • 54 miles of high-capacity transit corridors, including bus rapid transit routes
    • 80 percent increase in overall WeGo bus service hours, along with 24-hour service and reduced wait times

    How does the transit plan apply to my neighborhood?

    The “Choose How You Move” campaign released an interactive map of Davidson County that shows transportation improvements by neighborhood.

    The expansion of traffic lights is largely focused on busy roads from the edge of the district to the city center, while new WeGo routes provide additional connections between districts. Transit centers are proposed in West Nashville, SoBro, Madison, Donelson, Antioch, Bellevue, on the Nolensville and Dickerson pikes, and near Tennessee State and Vanderbilt universities.

    Access the interactive map at transit.nashville.gov.

    The schedule proposed in the transit plan

    Immediate improvements include:

    • WeGo bus service improvements
    • Lighting and security improvements
    • Early improvements to sidewalks, safety measures and traffic signals
    • A microtransit pilot program through WeGo Link that partners with rideshare providers to offer subsidized fares to designated bus stops for riders in less densely populated areas of the county

    Within two years:

    • “Significant” improvements to bus service opening times and frequency
    • Installation of the sidewalk and improved signaling system continues
    • The first Complete Street project (which will include updates for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and transit users) will be completed

    Within five years:

    • More than 150 signals will be modernized along with the traffic management center
    • All-access corridors begin high-frequency bus service in the West End, Charlotte Pike, and between Elizabeth Duff Transit Center and South Broadway (via James Robertson Parkway, Rosa L. Parks Boulevard, and Lafayette Street).

    Within 10 years:

    • 60 miles of sidewalks will be built
    • All-access corridors will accommodate high-frequency bus service on Murfreesboro Pike, Gallatin Pike and Clarksville Pike
    • Downtown, all-access corridors will provide high-frequency service on James Robertson Parkway, connecting the Elizabeth Duff Transit Center to the East Bank and the East Bank to South Broadway via the Gateway Bridge

    Within 15 years:

    • Almost 600 traffic lights are being modernized
    • 78 miles of the high-injury Vision Zero network will feature safety improvements
    • 86 miles of new sidewalk will be completed
    • High-capacity transportation will be available on Dickerson Pike and Nolensville Pike, rounding out service on Nashville's 10 busiest streets

    What does the transit plan mean for Nashville?

    To illustrate what the public transit improvement plan could mean for the city, The Tennessean examined how the plan would change Dickerson Pike.

    To better understand how the WeGo bus system currently works, The Tennessean also sent a reporter along the city's busiest route for a week.

    What is the impact of sales tax in Nashville?

    The transit referendum included a half-cent sales tax increase for Davidson County, raising the combined state and local sales tax from 9.25% to 9.75%. Nashvillians pay a combined state and local sales tax of 6.25% on most foods (except prepared foods). The half cent increase brings it to 6.75%.

    The tax increase takes effect on February 1st.

    The tax increase will cover about 40% of the plan's total cost, with the remainder expected to be funded through fares, bonds and state and federal programs.

    Williamson, Wilson, Rutherford, Dickson, Maury, Robertson and Hickman counties have a combined sales tax of 9.75%.

    How will the sales tax increase affect my wallet?

    According to an analysis using MIT's cost of living calculator, an adult can expect to pay $4 more in taxes each month on groceries and other household goods. A family of four can expect to pay $10 more per month.

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    Kathleen William
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