A recent change in federal policy could give the Nashville area a better shot at funding mass transit projects geared toward livability and sustainability.
That’s as the Metro Planning Organization works on plans to accommodate an expected million additional people in the Nashville area over the next 25 years. And that plan will help dictate the spending of some 5 billion federal dollars over that timeframe.
The new federal requirements focus on livability issues like economic development and environmental impact. Spokesperson Mary Beth Ikard says that’s good news for Nashville compared to the old policy, which benefited denser cities like Boston by focusing on reducing commute time.
“Federal projects were evaluated for federal funding just based on this cost-to-time-savings equation, that actually had the effect of escalating suburban sprawl and traffic congestion in urban areas of medium density, like that of greater Nashville.”
Ikard says right now MPO is taking input as it drafts an updated plan, which it will present for public comment later this year.
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