As diverse local groups endorse Nashville’s transit referendum, a major opponent from 2018 stands down

A slate of civic groups have endorsed Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s proposed $3.1 billion overhaul to the city’s transit system.

A group of 14 local organizations gathered this week to voice their support. The organizations advocate for a wide range of interests, from domestic violence prevention to food systems to affordable housing.

Leaders from each group drew connections between improved transit and other aspects of life:

C.J. Sentell, Nashville Food Project

“Transportation is the highest barrier to accessing fresh, nutritious food. “In other words, it is more important than the location of a grocery store or the price of food.”

Madeline Roberson, Sustainable Solutions

“In Nashville alone, over 50% of our total greenhouse gas emissions come from personal vehicle use,” Roberson said. “If just one driver per household switch to taking public transportation for their daily commute, this would save over 5,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per household per year.”

Ryan Adcock, Greater Nashville Realtors

“As national media outlets proclaim things like we have the hardest and worst commute in the nation, [fewer] people are going to want to start to move here … and people who do live here now are going to want to start to move away,” Adcock said. “If that trend escalates, the housing market begins to fall apart.”

It will still be up to voters to decide on the transportation plan at a November referendum. But the cross-section of endorsements indicate broad support — and a second development this week also favors the mayor’s effort.

Six years ago, when Nashville first attempted to establish a dedicated source of transit funding, the effort was voted down. The defeat was, in part, due to an active opposition effort that included Americans For Prosperity, a group backed by the conservative Koch brothers.

Now, the group says they will likely not launch an opposition effort, calling the cost of O’Connell’s plan “more reasonable” than the 2018 proposal. That plan was estimated to cost $5.4 billion in capital costs. Adding in the costs of 15 years of operation, the total costs came out to around $8.9 billion.

“It’s up to [O’Connell’s] office to make the case for a higher sales tax to fund more bus services, improved lights, and better city crosswalks,” AFP-TN director Tori Venable said in a statement. “Ultimately, Nashville will decide if the transit services and improvements are worth the tax hike.”

Cynthia Abrams WPLN News

The groups attending Wednesday’s event included: Civic Design Center, Conexión Americas, Greater Nashville Realtors, Housing Fund, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Nashville Food Project, Network for Sustainable Solutions, Thistle Farms, Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee, Transit Now Nashville, Urban Housing Solutions, the Urban League of Middle Tennessee and Walk Bike Nashville.