Breaking down Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s $514M capital spending plan

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell has unveiled his $514 million capital spending plan for 2024.

More: What’s in Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s capital spending plan for 2025? Largely infrastructure and education

The plan’s top investments include education and city maintenance — such as upgrades to fire stations, libraries and greenways. It also devotes around $39 million to transit needs and $25 million toward early investments into the East Bank development.

In a statement, O’Connell said that the plan reflects the priorities of his administration upon taking office.

“We are putting our money where our people are — in our neighborhoods — and taking more steps to ensure that Nashvillians know their government is responsive to their needs,” O’Connell said.

How the dollars break down

The $514 million plan is $36 million more than last year’s. There’s a number of projects that are continuations from last year — like the ongoing renovation work at Lakeview, Paragon Mills and Percy Priest elementary schools. There’s also the Nashville Youth Campus for Empowerment — the city’s new juvenile justice center — which has a proposed $60 million headed its way as it enters the second phase of construction.

• Overall, Metro Nashville Public Schools will see $58 million designated for their design and construction projects (like the work at Lakeview, Paragon Mills and Percy Priest). This would also help fund solar installations at Glencliff High School and MLK Magnet High School. There is another proposed $47 million for “miscellaneous deferred district-wide projects,” which includes things like emergency construction, upgrades to athletic facilities and bus vehicle replacements.
• Compared to last year’s plan, transportation and countywide infrastructure would see a boost under O’Connell’s plan. The Nashville Department of Transportation has a proposed investment of $94 million, around $15 million more than last year. This would fund things like Vision Zero safety initiatives, sidewalks, bike lanes and traffic management.
• Tucked into NDOT’s funding is a substantial East Bank investment — $20 million for the East Bank infrastructure and grid. In O’Connell’s plan, the East Bank development would see a total $25 million. The other $5 million is listed under the planning department, for program management and coordination purposes.
• WeGo has a proposed $30 million investment ($5 million more than last year) to support transit centers, bus shelters and buses.

Other proposed funds would support libraries, parks, fire stations and general services. Some of these proposed investments include:

• $32 million for Nashville’s parks. This includes $8.3 million to Mill Ridge Park and $5 million to Mariposa Park.
• $15 million is designated to support Nashville’s libraries — particularly renovations in the Green Hills and Hermitage branches. There’s also funding for the design phases of Richland and Hadley Park.
• $23 million for the fire department. The majority of this would go toward a new Fire Station #24 and closing out the renovations on Fire Station #25.
• $8 million to acquire land and begin planning a new public health clinic in Woodbine.
• MNPD would receive a proposed $3 million for a new records management system.

The capital spending plan is subject to Metro Council approval.