Mayor Barry unveils sweeping $5.2 billion transit proposal for Nashville with light rail, massive tunnel
From the
TENNESSEAN...
Quote:
Calling it a necessary "investment in Nashville's future, Mayor Megan Barry on Tuesday unveiled a monumental proposal for a $5.2 billion mass transit system, the most expensive and complicated project in Metro history.
Barry wants Nashvillians to go to the polls in May to approve via referendum raising four taxes to pay for the massive undertaking — a combination of light rail, expanded bus service and a massive tunnel below downtown that would serve as a central connecting point for the city’s new transit lines.
Leading the way as a revenue generator would be a one-half percent hike to the sales tax that would jump to 1 percent in 2023. She’s also proposed increases to the city’s hotel-motel tax, rental car tax and business and excise tax.
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Per Mayor Barry's speech in the video, a light rail line was added to connect the Charlotte line to North Nashville, to Tennessee State University, over the existing Cheatham County railroad line.
She also spoke about the entitled, "
Nashville Underground" tunnel. The tunnel will run from 5th Ave at Charlotte, south to SoBro. There will be a new station at 5th and Broad across from the Bridgestone Arena.
This is really cool.
You tour the Lower Broad tourist district, then go to the subway station and catch your train to the airport.
If voters approve
, and polling indicates it will by a good margin, Nashville will be putting on its big city britches.