Nashville Advances 'Choose How You Move' Transit Milestones as Metro Council Coordinates All-Access Corridors and WeGo Airport Route 18

Mayor Freddie O'Connell and WeGo Public Transit Mobilize 'Choose How You Move' Infrastructure

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Mobilizing the comprehensive implementation roadmap for Middle Tennessee's multimodal connectivity, Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell and WeGo Public Transit Chief Executive Officer Steve Bland reviewed critical delivery phases for the $3.1 billion 'Choose How You Move' (CHYM) program in October 2026. Working in tandem with the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT), civil engineers initiated advanced utility coordination and technical site assessments across priority All-Access Corridors, including Murfreesboro Pike, Nolensville Pike, and Gallatin Pike.

The foundational phase of the transit blueprint modernizes nearly two-thirds of Davidson County’s municipal traffic signals into a smart, synchronized grid capable of dynamic transit-signal priority. Mayor O'Connell reiterated that pairing intelligent signaling with dedicated bus lanes and continuous pedestrian sidewalks removes systemic transit bottlenecks for working families, commuter professionals, and students traveling between regional employment nodes.

Metro Council Integrates High-Capacity Transit with Affordable Housing Overlays

Inside the Metropolitan Council chamber, municipal lawmakers and the Nashville Planning Commission moved forward on legislative measures aligning transit investments with attainable workforce housing. By refining zoning allowances around planned rapid transit boarding stations, the council incentivized mixed-income residential infill, preventing residential displacement across fast-growing neighborhoods.

Council sponsors highlighted that establishing transit-supportive residential density within a quarter-mile radius of high-frequency WeGo stops guarantees that essential hospitality workers, healthcare staff, and municipal civil servants maintain equitable, reliable access to downtown commercial districts without prohibitive vehicular overhead.

WeGo Expands Airport Route 18 Service as Nashville International Airport Sets Passenger Records

To meet surging intermodal passenger demand, WeGo Public Transit implemented extended operating hours and boosted frequency on Route 18 (Airport Express) connecting downtown Nashville with Nashville International Airport (BNA). As airport passenger volumes break regional records amidst the multi-billion-dollar 'New Horizon' terminal construction, direct transit connections reduce roadway congestion on Interstate 40.

Civic and commercial stakeholders praised the unified approach across aviation, surface transit, and neighborhood housing, emphasizing that synchronized infrastructure delivery safeguards Nashville's economic vitality while promoting sustainable regional expansion.