How voting for transit will help Nashville grow

Imagine the future of Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Your vision probably includes a vibrant, thriving economy with space for a diverse mix of industries and businesses, including your business. Can you see yourself succeeding in this economy of the future? What does it take to get there?

You can help make this vision, and your business’ success and your personal success, a reality by voting for transit.

The Let’s Move Nashville transit plan’s capacity to help our region grow is backed up by research that says public transit systems may boost a city’s economy between $1.5 million and $1.8 billion per year.

The Nashville area is booming right now. In fact, we are in the midst of growth that has landed our region as number 7 on the 2018 Forbes’ list of America’s fastest-growing cities. Entrepreneurs are starting businesses, businesses are expanding or relocating to the region and jobs are being created.

In fact, 112 business relocations or expansions were announced in our last fiscal year, along with nearly 11,000 new jobs.

We don’t want to lose this momentum. And research shows that when cities invest in public transit, they see increased economic development rather than just a continuation of the status quo. In a study that looked at data from 300 metropolitan areas, researchers found the following results when cities invested in public transit:

·      320 more employees per square mile in the city center – an increase of 19%

·      Wage increases between $53 and $194 per year, per employee

·      A 1-2% increase in gross metropolitan product

All told, researchers found that the hidden economic benefits of transit systems average about $45 million per year, but that cities with “congested road conditions” and “transit networks that are at capacity” are more likely to see benefits at the high end of the $1.5 million to $1.8 billion per year range. Those conditions sound awfully familiar to what the Nashville region is currently facing.

Furthermore, the American Public Transportation Association found that an investment of $1 billion in public transit roughly equates to $3.7 billion in total positive economic impact.

You can shape the future of our region into a place we will all thrive by voting for transit. Early voting is underway now at these locations: