Nashville BRT Design Work to Cease

The Nashville MTA will cease work on the Amp, a proposed bus rapid transit system, but proceed with strategic planning for the Middle Tennessee region in order to position the next mayor to advance with a high-capacity transit project if desired, CEO Steve Bland told MTA board members Jan. 22. 

While the Amp will not be moving forward, the conversation about it, led by Mayor Karl Dean, has laid the groundwork for a future project by elevating Nashville’s understanding of the need for mass transit to a level never seen before, Bland said.

The report came in response to a request made by Mayor Karl Dean at the last meeting of the Amp Citizen’s Advisory Committee on October 28. At the time, Mayor Dean asked Bland to analyze the findings of the CAC and present recommendations for the planning process. 

Other recommendations include:

• Advancing of a regional strategic plan, transferring some funds from the Amp design budget specifically to be used for aggressive regional public engagement.  This plan should reimagine public transit in Nashville in the face of the region’s unprecedented growth.
• Examine design concepts for high performance transit facilities in multiple corridors through the MTA system.
• Design the best project for local needs, keeping FTA/DOT requirements for funding in mind, but not as the dominant consideration.
• Continue to focus on general service improvements, like additional BRT lite services in the Charlotte and Nolensville Corridors, real-time traveler information and additional passenger waiting shelters throughout the MTA service area.
• Fully engage transportation partners like TDOT and Metro Public Works in this earliest stage of plan development.

“Even though we aren’t moving forward with the Amp, we will move forward with our strategic planning efforts and engage in extensive dialogue with residents to gain their input on transit solutions for our community.  We will continue to focus on this corridor as well as others in the region,” Bland said. “We cannot afford to lose ground if we wish to remain competitive with our peers.  We must plan for future growth efficiently.”

Bland said Mayor Dean’s decision not to seek state or local funds for the Amp, also announced at the Oct. 28 CAC meeting, was not a sign of waning support but rather a realistic view of the time frame around capital intensive transit projects. 

Public meetings for the MTA strategic plan will begin in late February. Overall goals will be to keep the debate and direction around building a more robust public transit system in the public dialogue while ensuring work already conducted for the Amp is used to give the next mayor the tools with which to proceed on an initial project.