Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and other area mayors are looking to find out what transit options the public wants, how they can be done best, and ultimately how to pay for them. Today Dean and other area mayors announced they’re drafting a long-range plan for transportation, and they want public input.
Dean compares the Nashville area to cities like Denver, Austin and Charlotte, saying in coming decades it will grow to a comparable size, and will need a comparable transit system.
He expects light rail will be part of the answer, and says securing local money will be key.
“To get to where we need to be in terms of the light rail and the sophisticated bus rapid-transit system, we’ve have got to create a dedicated source of funding for transportation. That is the first priority – we’ve got to get that done because you cannot get to the stage where you’re getting the federal dollars and the state dollars you need, unless the local governments have some skin in the game.”
That could mean a fuel tax, though Dean says he’s looking at various options. Others say it could mean a wheel tax or sales tax.
Last year the state legislature allowed regional transportation authorities to levy taxes specifically for funding mass transit.
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