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    • What you need to know about taxation, improvements
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    What you need to know about taxation, improvements

    Umito Posted on

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    • The improvements will be rolled out over a 15-year period, with some immediate changes to bus service, lighting and security.
    • The sales tax increase will take effect Feb. 1 and will cost about $10 more per month for a family of four.

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

    The Choose Your Way Transportation Improvement Plan has been a hallmark of Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s administration, and it has been overwhelmingly approved at the polls.

    “Now, for the next generation, we will all benefit from the things we deserve: sidewalks, signage, service and safety,” O’Connell said in a speech Tuesday, referring to the city’s four main areas of improvement. plan.

    Approval Means Davidson County Sales Tax will increase by half a centwhich will be used directly to finance the public transportation plan. The increase will take effect Feb. 1 and brings Davidson County in line with neighboring Williamson, Wilson, Rutherford, Dickson and Maury, all of which have a combined sales tax of 9.75 percent.

    Here’s everything you need to know about the public transportation improvements coming to Nashville.

    What transit improvements are in the plan?

    The transportation improvement plan includes four categories: service, signage, sidewalks and safety. Expanded WeGo bus service (including additional routes, more neighborhood transit centers and 24/7 service) is the most expensive part of the plan.

    Improvements include:

    • 86 miles of new or improved 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% increase in total WeGo bus service hours, plus 24-hour service and reduced wait times

    How will the transit plan apply to my neighborhood?

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

    Traffic signal improvements are largely concentrated along busy roads from the county line to downtown, while new WeGo routes provide additional connections between neighborhoods. Transit hubs are offered in West Nashville, SoBro, Madison, Donelson, Antioch, Bellevue, on Nolensville and Dickerson Pikes, and near Tennessee State and Vanderbilt universities.

    Access the interactive map on transit.nashville.gov.

    The proposed timeline for the transit plan

    Immediate improvements would include:

    • WeGo Bus Service Improvements
    • Lighting and security improvements
    • First sidewalk improvements, safety measures and traffic lights
    • A microtransit pilot program through WeGo Link, which partners with rideshare providers to offer subsidized fares at select bus stops for riders in less dense areas of the county

    Within two years:

    • “Substantial” improvements to bus service in terms of timetable and frequency
    • Installation of sidewalks and improved signage continues
    • The first “Complete Street” project (which will include updates for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and transit riders) will be completed

    Within five years:

    • More than 150 signals will be modernized as well as the traffic management center
    • Unrestricted access corridors begin offering 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
    • Universal Access Corridors will launch high-frequency bus service on Murfreesboro Pike, Gallatin Pike and Clarksville Pike
    • Universal Access Corridors to Downtown will provide high-frequency service on James Robertson Parkway, connecting the Elizabeth Duff Transportation Center to East Bank and East Bank to South Broadway via the Gateway Bridge.

    Within 15 years:

    • Nearly 600 traffic lights will be modernized
    • 78 Miles of Vision Zero High-Risk Injury Network to Benefit from Safety Improvements
    • 86 miles of new sidewalk will be completed
    • High-capacity transit will be available on Dickerson Pike and Nolensville Pike, supplementing service on Nashville’s 10 busiest routes.

    What will the transit plan mean for Nashville?

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

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

    What is the effect on sales taxes in Nashville?

    The transit referendum called for a half-cent sales tax increase for Davidson County, increasing the combined state and local sales tax from 9.25 percent to 9.75 %. Nashvillians pay 6.25% combined state and local sales tax on most groceries (except prepared foods). The half-cent increase brings that number to 6.75 percent.

    The tax increase takes effect February 1.

    The tax increase will cover about 40 percent of the plan’s total cost, with the rest to be financed through rates, bonds and state and federal programs.

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

    How will the sales tax increase impact my wallet?

    According to an analysis using the MIT Cost of Living Calculatoran adult can expect to pay $4 more per month in taxes on groceries and other household items. A family of four can expect to pay $10 more per month.

    Umito
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