Route Improvement Recap

At TNN, we try and walk that fine line between advocating for better transit and coming across as just cheerleaders for MTA and our other transit agencies, but I have to say I came away from the public meeting on route changes impressed. The MTA has been innovative in meeting the twin challenges of reacting to the loss of equipment and offices during the flood and improving services in an era of tight budget money. They have made several positive proposals for route improvements:

• A new line on the Music City Circuit! The purple line will connect Metro's Fulton Complex to the rest of downtown with frequent runs during lunch hours.
• Increasing the frequency of service on Route 23 (Dickerson Rd.).
• Increasing frequency on the BRT (Route 56) from every 15 minutes to every 14 minutes. This is coupled with an decrease in frequency on Route 26 (Gallatin Rd) from every 30 minutes to every 40 minutes. BRT service will not be run on Sunday anymore (not many riders), but the Route 26 time will be improved to every 35 minutes on Sunday.
• The return of some express capability to Route 34 (Opry Mills).
• The transition of the Madison BusLink to a fixed route (Route 76, the Madison Connector) with two loops.
• Tweaking the route on the mini-hub concept for Route 20 (Scott).
• An innovative use of deadhead drive time to add commuter capacity and new park and ride space through a new route (39X, Cane Creek).

Good news for Music City Circuit fans. Ridership has remained strong on the Blue Line (even with the Farmer's Market down from the flood) at 22 riders per hour on average. The Green Line, which has much later hours, has still done well with 7 per hour. I think Blue ridership will really take off when the market reopens next month and that the Green will take off when the Music City Center is done.

Looks like overall ridership on MTA will be down a bit, but that is largely attributable to the impact of the flood.

MTA to host Public Hearings on Route Changes

The Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) will hold five public hearings on July 26, 27 and 28 on proposed service adjustments for this fall. Service improvements to five routes will be discussed as well as expanding the Music City Circuit, making BusLink in Madison a fixed route, and establishing a new route near Cane Ridge High School. Proposed modifications to the following routes will be discussed:

20 (Scott), 23 (Dickerson Rd.), 26 (Gallatin Rd), 34 (Opry Mills), 56 (BRT), Madison BusLink, and the Music City Circuit

Listed below are the times and locations for the public hearings and the bus routes that serve these locations:

Location Date Time

Music City Central Monday 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

(Community Meeting Room) July 26

400 Charlotte Ave.

(All bus routes)

Music City Central Tuesday 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

(Community Meeting Room) July 27

400 Charlotte Ave.

(All bus routes)

Inglewood Branch Library Tuesday 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

4312 Gallatin Road July 27

(Routes 26 Gallatin Road; 56 Gallatin Road BRT)

Music City Central Wednesday 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

(Community Meeting Room) July 28

400 Charlotte Ave.

(All bus routes)

Cumberland View Towers Wednesday 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

1201 Cheyenne Blvd. July 28 .

Madison

(BusLink)

Individuals are encouraged to attend any of the hearings or submit comments to the MTA Planning Department, attn: Public Hearing Comments, at 130 Nestor Street, Nashville, Tenn. 37210; fax comments to 862-6208; call Customer Care at 862-5950; or email comments to mta.publichearings@nashville.gov through Aug. 6, 2010. Attendance at the hearings is not required in order to comment.

July 4th Music City Star Train Tickets SOLD OUT

That's right, folks. The train to the July 4th Celebration downtown is completely sold out! All seven cars will be full and rolling into downtown once again this year.

Music City Star Train to July 4 Fireworks Downtown

RTA only has 325 tickets left for the special Music City Star train to the Nashville Fourth of July celebration downtown. Online ticket sales close on Sunday evening, June 27, so get your tickets now! Click here for more information.

Dump the Pump Day - June 17th!

Good News! MTA is providing a bus (Route 9 Metro Center) to depart at 8:30 p.m. from Watkins for the Dump the Pump Day event with Aaron Woolf!

Those attending the screening may board a 9 Metro Center bus at Music City Central (MCC) Bay 11 at either 4:10 or 4:38 p.m. to get there prior to the reception, or at 5:23 p.m. to get to Watkins during the reception, but prior to the filmmaker’s remarks.

On the bus, riders will simply pull the cord when they get to Watkins. Parking is also available on the top levels of MCC in case anyone needs to drive to MCC and then ride the bus to Watkins.

Please RSVP today. Space is limited! The event is FREE and refreshments will be provided.

MTA to Resume Regular Weekday Schedule on Monday, May 24

Buses will return to regular weekday service and fares will be collected as usual. Click here for more information.

There was a good discussion on this morning's Marketplace Morning Report on what to do to make transit systems more attractive. Suggestions included wireless access and websites featuring integrated route maps for an entire region.

The story starts about 4 1/2 minutes into the broadcast: Marketplace Morning Report.