NORTH NASHVILLE TRANSIT CENTER · 2019-07-15 · NORTH NASHVILLE TRANSIT CENTER Page 2 The North...

NORTH NASHVILLE TRANSIT CENTER

Table of Contents 2019 BUILD Project Information Form

Application for Federal Assistance SF-424

Letter from Mayor Briley

I. Project Description ........................................................................................................... 1

North Nashville Legacy ...................................................................................................... 4

The nMotion Mobility Strategy .......................................................................................... 5

II. Project Location and Demographics ............................................................................... 6

Location .............................................................................................................................. 6

North Nashville Population Demographics ........................................................................ 9

III. Grant Funds, Sources, and Uses of Project Funds ...................................................... 10

IV. BUILD Grant Selection Criteria ................................................................................... 12

Primary Selection Criteria ................................................................................................. 12 Safety .................................................................................................................... 12 Transit Center Location vs. Current On-Street Stops ........................................... 14 Mode Shift ............................................................................................................ 14 State of Good Repair ............................................................................................. 14 Economic Competitiveness ................................................................................... 15 Environmental Sustainability and Health Benefits ............................................... 21

Secondary Selection Criteria............................................................................................. 23 Innovation ............................................................................................................. 23 Partnership ............................................................................................................ 23

V. Project Readiness ............................................................................................................ 24

Completed Required Approvals ........................................................................................ 24

Project Schedule................................................................................................................ 25

Assessment of Project Risks and Mitigation Strategies .................................................... 25

VI. Benefit Cost Analysis Executive Summary................................................................... 26

VII. Federal Wage Rate Certification ................................................................................... 28


Appendices Appendix A: Detailed Benefit Cost Analysis Methodology

List of Tables Table 1: North Nashville Demographics ........................................................................................ 9 Table 2: Costs Associated with the Proposed Project ................................................................... 10 Table 3: Sources and Amount of Funds ........................................................................................ 10 Table 4: Sources of Funds Budget ................................................................................................ 11 Table 5 Clarksville Pike Bicycle/Pedestrian Involved Crashes .................................................... 13 Table 6: Clarksville Pike Crashes (Rosa Parks to Buchanan Street) ............................................ 13 Table 7: Current and Projected Ridership ..................................................................................... 17 Table 8: BCA Results ................................................................................................................... 27

List of Figures Figure 1: Conceptual Schematic of North Nashville Transit Center and Adjacent Development . 1 Figure 2: Proposed North Nashville Transit Center, Existing and Planned Bus Routes ................ 3 Figure 3: Project Location, Area Landmarks, and Developments .................................................. 7 Figure 4: Project Location and Existing MTA Transit Infrastructure ............................................ 8 Figure 5: Route 25 Midtown ......................................................................................................... 18 Figure 6: Footprint of Job Locations within 45 Minutes of Transit Center .................................. 19 Figure 7: Available Employment vs. Travel Time ....................................................................... 20

Note: Supplemental information for this grant application is provided on the Nashville MTA website, http://www.nashvillemta.org/North-Nashville-Transit-Center-BUILD-Grant.asp.

References within this application document are hyperlinked directly to the website, clicking on the highlighted reference will take readers directly to the site.

http://www.nashvillemta.org/North-Nashville-Transit-Center-BUILD-Grant.asp


2019 BUILD Project Information Form

This form has been completed and is submitted as an attachment to this application.


Application for Federal Assistance SF-424

This form has been completed and is submitted as an attachment to this application.


Letter from Mayor Briley

NORTH NASHVILLE TRANSIT CENTER Page 1

I. Project Description The North Nashville Transit Center will be a new neighborhood mobility center designed specifically to create and enhance multimodal transportation options and connections in North Nashville, an economically disadvantaged community within the Nashville Metropolitan area. Once completed this transit center will greatly improve access to job opportunities and workforce skills training for residents, as well as provide better access to health care and other needed services. North Nashville is an Opportunity Zone and one of 14 urban communities selected as a Federal Promise Zone by HUD. Nearly 22 percent of the residents in this area live in zero-vehicle households; the highest percentage of transit-dependent residents in the Nashville MSA and substantially higher than the U.S. average of 7.9 percent.1

The Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) is designing the North Nashville Transit Center project in alignment with nMotion, the Middle Tennessee Region’s adopted 25-year integrated and multimodal transportation strategy. (Figure 1) This will be the first center of over 20 locations for Nashville as identified in the nMotion strategy.2 The MTA in partnership with TDOT, Metro Nashville Government, and the residents of North Nashville request $10.7 million BUILD Grant funding to advance construction of this $17.9 million transit center project. (The nMotion Final Report can be found here: http://www.nashvillemta.org/North-Nashville-Transit-Center-BUILD-Grant.asp.

Figure 1: Conceptual Schematic of North Nashville Transit Center and Adjacent Development

1 USDOT, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Table A-4 2 nMotion: Nashville Strategic Transit Master Plan Final Report, page 8-6




The North Nashville Transit Center will be a safe and friendly location for community residents and transit passengers to access transit and to comfortably and conveniently transfer between routes and modes, including pedestrian and bike access, car and van pool pick-up, car and bike sharing options, and Transportation Network Company (TNC) connections. The BUILD Grant funds will support:

• Construction of an enclosed, climate-controlled passenger waiting structure including ticket vending machines and operator restroom facilities;

• Up to four bus bays with open-air canopies, seating areas, and bike amenities;

• Safe connections for pedestrians through sidewalk improvements, high-visibility crosswalks, and ADA compliant curb ramps to the surrounding community, adjacent community services, and mixed-use and residential development;

• Wayfinding guidance, system and local area maps and information, real-time transit information, and security lighting;

• Landscaping and opportunity for community art and engagement; and

• Space for connectivity to multimodal options possibly including activities such as a kiss-and-ride area, space for private shuttles, car and bike sharing, and other transportation network services.

Three bus routes currently provide transit service for North Nashville. The North Nashville Transit Center will provide connections for up to three additional bus routes planned under the nMotion strategy as shown in Figure 2. These improvements include new crosstown routes and rapid bus services to provide better and faster access for North Nashville residents to downtown, Midtown hospitals, employment centers, education, and all Nashville has to offer. Anticipated near-term transit service improvements associated with the construction of the North Nashville Transit Center include:

• Expanding service hours on some routes and adding later night service on routes serving the facility;

• Relocating four existing on-street bus stops on Clarksville Pike and two on 26th Ave. into the new Transit Center;

• Establishing new crosstown bus service with 30-minute headways and faster connections to Gallatin Pike, thereby reducing average passenger travel time to this destination by 10 minutes;3

• Extending Route 25 to the transit center providing crosstown and rapid bus service with faster connections to Midtown jobs, hospitals, universities, and West End businesses reducing average passenger travel time to this destination by 25 minutes;4

3 Conveyal Data Outputs generated by MTA for North Nashville Transit Center, Trinity Lane Crosstown bus to Gallatin Pike. 4 Conveyal Data Outputs generated by MTA for North Nashville Transit Center, Route 25 rapid bus


Figure 2: Proposed North Nashville Transit Center, Existing and Planned Bus Routes

• Extending Route 9 service to the transit center providing rapid bus service and faster

travel times to jobs in Metro Center and reducing average passenger travel time by 15 minutes5 with 10-minute frequencies planned for the future; and

• Extending Route 21 from Tennessee State University to the new transit center.

The North Nashville Transit Center is an important component of strategic, long-term transit improvements under nMotion. Longer term system improvements include:

• Neighborhood transit centers at over 20 key locations across the city;

• An expanded frequent transit network made up of routes operating every 15-minutes or better throughout the day;

• Extended service hours on selected routes to 2 a.m. weekdays and Saturdays, midnight on Sundays; and

• Improving transit connections with more shelters, benches, signage and pedestrian and bike infrastructure between communities and bus stops.

5 Conveyal Data Outputs generated by MTA for North Nashville Transit Center, Route 9 rapid bus.


North Nashville Legacy North Nashville is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Nashville. It is home to three historical African-American universities: Fisk University and the world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers; Tennessee State University founded in 1912; and Meharry Medical College, the first black medical college in the southern U.S. In the 1920s and 30s North Nashville was a thriving community with successful businesses, street car service, and an array of performance venues where great musicians like Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, B.B. King, Etta James, and Muddy Waters performed. In the 1950s, urban renewal and interstate construction physically divided North Nashville from the rest of the city thereby dislocating life-long residents and businesses from the community. By the late 1950s the area began to experience a downward economic spiral leading to declines in local businesses. As a result, the population of the community began a precipitous decline, and by 1980 the area had lost nearly 42 percent of its population. The exodus continued until the 1990s when the population stabilized at 22,000.6 Today 35.8 percent of North Nashville’s residents have incomes below the poverty level, 14.2 percent are unemployed, and many residents work multiple jobs to make ends meet.7 This community is one of the most economically disadvantaged areas of Nashville.

Transit-accessible development has been a significant catalyst for community revitalization in similar communities in Cleveland, Ohio; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Eugene, Oregon. The North Nashville Transit Center will be a pivotal transportation center for this transit-dependent community, and a local developer has acquired and rezoned adjacent property to build a development that includes transit-accessible mixed income housing, restaurants, specialty retail, and commercial spaces. There is a growing body of research documenting increases in local property values resulting from renovations and new development around transit centers in areas that were previously challenged. North Nashville can benefit from private investments leveraged through the North Nashville Opportunity Zone, and the affordable housing program recently announced by Nashville Mayor David Briley which will provide $750 million over the next 10 years. This transit center can be a transformational project to reconnect the proud heritage of this community to a new future in the dynamic and growing economy of Metro Nashville.

6 University of Tennessee, Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research, Historic Census Data for Tennessee 7 State of Tennessee, Department of Labor, Labor Market Analysis 2018


The nMotion Mobility Strategy The North Nashville Transit Center project is part of the nMotion Strategic Plan, a bold, comprehensive, 25-year mobility strategy adopted by MTA and the Regional Transit Authority of Middle Tennessee (RTA). (The complete nMotion Nashville MTA/RTA Transit Plan can be found here http://www.nashvillemta.org/North-Nashville-Transit-Center-BUILD-Grant.asp). As the population and economy in the Metro Nashville Region continue to grow, strategic investments in transportation and mobility are essential to sustain the region’s quality of life, to allow employers access to the workforce they need, to provide visitors the opportunity to enjoy the diverse array of sites and experiences in the region, and to ensure residents access to quality housing options that are affordable.

The nMotion planning process was launched in 2015 by engaging residents and civic organizations in discussions about the transit system the community needs to build to achieve the future they envision. The nMotion goals reflect Nashville residents’ stated need for a transportation system that will:

• improve access to opportunity; • expand the range of competitive travel options; • simplify and integrate modes and means of transportation; • prioritize major transit investments particularly in transit-supportive areas; and • increase ridership.

nMotion identifies the mobility infrastructure needed to support one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the U.S. The plan’s transit improvements will be developed over a 25-year period. Stephen Bland, CEO of MTA stresses, “the focus will always be on better transit services.” The public conversation about the future transit system and funding sources continues, and the initiatives adopted in the nMotion service plan are moving forward as available resources allow.

Phase 1 of the nMotion plan implementation focuses on:

• Developing new Transit Centers (the first to be developed is the North Nashville Transit Center included in this application),

• Improved transit services with increased frequencies,

• Safer pedestrian and bike connections with transit services,

• Improvements in regional travel corridors for transit users, and

• New rapid bus and crosstown bus options allowing passengers to get to their desired destinations faster.

“The focus will always be on better transit services.”

Stephen Bland CEO of MTA




II. Project Location and Demographics Location

• Nashville, Tennessee: Urbanized Area, UA Code: 61273 • Address: 2501 Clarksville Pike, Nashville, TN 37208 • Coordinates: 36o 11’06.89” N, 86o 49’05.19” W • Opportunity Zone (census tracts 037- 136, 137, 138, 139)

Basic terms of a long-term ground lease have been negotiated and agreed upon between MTA and the property owner for the proposed North Nashville Transit Center to be constructed on a portion of a 6.1-acre mixed-use development site. Final legal documentation and regulatory review is pending funding approvals. A map of the project’s location and area landmarks and developments nearby is shown in Figure 3.

D.J. Wootson, the site owner and a North Nashville businessman, worked with the Nashville Davidson County Metropolitan Planning Commission to rezone the site for higher density mixed-use development. Mr. Wootson believes “this transit center and the adjoining redevelopment is about revitalizing the neighborhood, about lifting people up, not moving people out.” Urban Housing Solutions, a non-profit affordable housing developer is constructing 86 new units of affordable housing called 26th and Clarksville, adjacent to the transit center site. Initial planning evaluations have begun for the eventual renovation of 226 units of affordable housing owned by Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA) at the Cumberland View Apartments located 4 blocks east of the transit center site. The existing MTA transit network on Figure 4 shows the project’s location and connections to existing transit infrastructure.

"The McGruder Center is an integral part of the North Nashville community. Providing additional services for area residents and those we serve, is a welcomed addition to our community fabric. Becoming a key location for public transportation - that is supportive of the people who live here - is overwhelmingly exciting!"

Alisha Haddock, Executive Director The McGruder Family Resource Center


Figure 3: Project Location, Area Landmarks, and Developments


Figure 4: Project Location and Existing MTA Transit Infrastructure


North Nashville Population Demographics

Within a quarter mile of the North Nashville Transit Center site, 38 percent of the households are low income. The Home Mission Haven retirement center is just a block from the site providing affordable housing for some of community’s most income-challenged residents. Recent census data indicates 14.2 percent of the population in North Nashville is unemployed and the median community income is $26,000. By comparison, 2.8 percent of residents county-wide are unemployed,8 and the median income in Davidson County is $53,419.9 (Table 1) Improved transit services will increase access to more economic opportunities for residents in this area connecting them to a greater number of job options, workforce training, and other essential services.

Table 1: North Nashville Demographics

North Nashville

Davidson County Tennessee United

States Age (Table 50101) 65+ 14.6% 11.4% 15.4% 14.9% % of low & moderate income households (below 80% AMI) 69.4% 41.8% * *

% of persons below poverty (Table B17017) 35.8% 16.9% 16.7% 13.8% Minority (Table B02001) 87.5% 36.4% 22.2% 26.9% % Disabled (Table S1810) 24.4% 11.8% 15.4% 12.6% % Zero Vehicle households (Table B08201) 21.9% 6.8% 6.1% 7.9% Source: Census, American Community Survey (ACS) 2017 5-year average *Low & moderate income calculations determined based on county level area median income

8 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Unemployment in States and Local Areas, Percent not annually adjusted, 2017 9 U.S. Census Bureau, Median Household Income 2017


III. Grant Funds, Sources, and Uses of Project Funds The BUILD Grant funds will allow this important project to move forward, and the transit center will enable MTA to improve the mobility services and community connections for this economically disadvantaged and transit dependent community. MTA has successful experience delivering transit projects and managing federal grants with USDOT and FTA. MTA will follow applicable local, state, and federal regulations during the development and completion of this project.

The tables below provide details of the funding sources that will support the development of the $17.9 million project. The $10.7 million BUILD funds requested for the project represent 60 percent of total project cost. BUILD Grant funds are the only source of Federal funding for the construction of the project. The balance of project funding will come from non-federal sources including 10 percent from local capital funds and 30 percent from TDOT IMPROVE Act funds. Funding Commitment letters can be found here: http://www.nashvillemta.org/North-Nashville-Transit-Center-BUILD-Grant.asp.

Table 2 summarizes the primary construction activities to be completed for this project with the support of the BUILD Grant funding. Table 3 summarizes the sources and amount of funds being allocated. Table 4 summarizes the sources of funds budget.

Table 2: Costs Associated with the Proposed Project

Component Standard Cost Categories Type of Cost Cost

North Nashville Transit Center Project Construction

20 Transit Facility Infrastructure $11,827,000 40 Sitework $3,348,000 80 Professional Services $2,093,000 90 Unallocated Contingency $632,000

TOTAL COSTS $17,900,000

Table 3: Sources and Amount of Funds Agency Source Commitment % Share

Non-Federal Local Capital Fund $1,790,000 10% TDOT State IMPROVE Act Funds $5,370,000 30%

Subtotal Non-Federal $7,160,000 40% 2019 BUILD Grant Request $10,740,000 60%

Subtotal Federal $10,740,000 60% TOTAL FUNDS $17,900,000 100%




Table 4: Sources of Funds Budget Component Type of Cost Cost

Transit Facility Infrastructure $11,827,000

Non-Federal 26.4% Local Capital Funds $1,182,700 TDOT State IMPROVE Act Funds $3,548,100

BUILD Grant 39.2 % 2019 BUILD Grant Request $7,096,200 Sitework $3,348,000

Non-Federal 7.4% Local Capital Funds $334,800 TDOT State IMPROVE Act Funds $1,004,400

BUILD Grant 11.2% 2019 BUILD Grant Request $2,008,800 Professional Services $2,093,000

Non-Federal 4.6% Local Capital Funds $209,300 TDOT State IMPROVE Act Funds $627,900

BUILD Grant 7% 2019 BUILD Grant Request $1,255,800 Unallocated Contingency $632,000

Non-federal 1.5% Local Capital Funds $63,200 TDOT State IMPROVE Act Funds $175,000

BUILD Grant 2.2 % 2019 BUILD Grant Request $393,800 TOTAL PROJECT COST $17,900,000

Rendering of North Nashville Transit Center and TOD


IV. BUILD Grant Selection Criteria Primary Selection Criteria Safety Improving the safety of our transportation infrastructure reduces the number and severity of injuries, fatalities, and property damage. However, it also dramatically increases the overall feeling of safety and security within our communities. MTA always makes safety a priority. nMotion addresses safety at roadway intersections, sidewalks, bus shelters, and other transportation facilities to expand safe and effective transit services. Future pedestrian safety projects related to the North Nashville Transit Center may include:

• Signal timing modifications to implement a leading pedestrian signal phase at 25th Avenue N and 26th Avenue N.

• Pedestrian countdown timers at 26th Avenue N.

• High-visibility crosswalk markings at 26th Avenue N.

• New sidewalk at the northeast corner of Clarksville Pike and 26th Avenue N.

• Extend the sidewalk along 26th Avenue N near Cumberland Heights property

• Streetscape improvements on 26th Ave. along project site

• Turn lanes into and out of facility

• Improve intersection street lighting for better visibility of pedestrians and bicycles at 25th Avenue N and 26th Avenue N intersections

Since 2010, there have been two reported vehicle/pedestrian crashes at Clarksville Pike and 26th Avenue N. These crashes occurred in 2010 and 2013 according to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Crash data obtained from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security for 2014-2018 indicate eight bicycle/pedestrian crashes along Clarksville between Rosa Parks Boulevard and Buchanan Street in the past five years (Table 5). There was one crash each year in 2015, 2017, and 2018 with an unusual spike in 2016 of five crashes involving bicycle or pedestrian.


Table 5 Clarksville Pike Bicycle/Pedestrian Involved Crashes Injury 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Bicycle/Pedestrian 0 1 5 1 1

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2017, Nashville experienced 3.60 pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 population compared to 1.84 nationally.10 Metro Nashville has been aggressively addressing pedestrian safety, in part, with an ongoing sidewalk improvement program across the city. nMotion builds on safety initiatives by investing in sidewalks connecting neighborhoods to transit, neighborhood traffic calming, school zone traffic control, ADA access improvements, and implementation of safety education campaigns. These improvements allow pedestrians, as well as cyclists and persons with disabilities, to access a safe and reliable public transportation system.

Traffic crash data was obtained from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security for 2014-2018, categorizing traffic crash injuries by varying levels of injury severity (Table 6) along Clarksville Pike.

Table 6: Clarksville Pike Crashes (Rosa Parks to Buchanan Street) Injury 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Fatal 0 0 0 0 0 Suspect Serious Injury 0 2 1 1 1 Suspect Minor Injury 1 7 15 11 8 Possible Injury 5 7 8 7 9 Property Damage 5 23 32 28 30 Total 11 39 56 47 48 Source: Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security; Research and Planning Division; TITAN Crash Database. (6 June 2019).

The total 2017 VMT was calculated using TDOT 2017 traffic volumes (14,200) with a length of 0.81 miles and incorporated the crash data to estimate the rate of crashes per 100 million VMT along this stretch of road. It was determined that there are 11.195 crashes per million vehicle miles (MVM) on Clarksville Pike between Rosa Parks Blvd and Buchanan Street, over four times the average for a similar-class road.

Study Area Ped and Bike Accidents Because the nMotion mobility strategy will provide a greater variety of travel options for residents and encourage mode-sharing and active transport, it is expected that infrastructure improvements in the future would increase active transportation to and from transit centers. Research indicates that where there are more walkers and cyclists, the likelihood of motorist-caused injury is lower.11 With more pedestrian activity due to expanded and convenient transit options, improved transit facilities, better lighting, and connectivity to stations, pedestrians are generally safer. Although there is no industry-accepted approach for monetizing this value, it

10 National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, Traffic Safety Facts, 2017. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812681 11 Jacobson, P L. Safety in Numbers: more walkers and bicyclists, safer walking and bicycling. Injury Prevention. 2003.

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812681


nonetheless reflects an important value of transit. Ultimately, the activity generated from the transit center and the infrastructure improvements is expected to create a safer, more walkable North Nashville.

Transit Center Location vs. Current On-Street Stops Four existing on-street bus stops will be relocated from Clarksville Pike and two from 26th Ave. as those riders will utilize the transit center. By locating the transit center out of the flow of traffic off Clarksville Pike the potential risk for vehicular crashes will be reduced. With six fewer bus stops, travelers will be less prone to crashes related to fluctuating traffic flow as buses stop to board/alight passengers. This is true not only for the transit vehicle but also automobiles that stop behind the bus or pass the stopped bus. Likewise, fewer bus stops and MTA improved headways will improve travel times along Clarksville Pike and 26th Ave. with fewer stops in traffic per hour. The more consistent travel speeds will also have a marginal benefit to air quality reducing the amount of time that buses are stopped in a travel lane and, therefore, the amount of starting and stopping by other vehicles traveling behind the bus. In addition to improving safety within the roadway, passengers’ personal safety will be improved by having a consolidated, well-lit, and frequently used North Nashville Transit Center.

Mode Shift Infrastructure improvements being advanced under the nMotion strategy have been shown to reduce the number of vehicular crashes when people choose to take transit rather than driving a single-occupancy vehicle.12 The fatality rate for public transit passengers is approximately 90 percent less compared to automobile occupants.13 By providing more transportation options, automobiles would be diverted from the road and fewer vehicle miles would be traveled daily. Small increases in transit ridership can result in large safety benefits to society. Studies have found that a single percentage point increase in transit mode share is associated with a several percent reduction in total crashes.14

State of Good Repair The transit center project will be adopted into the MTA Transit Asset Management plan and will be maintained in a State of Good Repair (SOGR).

Transit Center The transit center will replace six current on-street transit stops. Five of these stops are simply a “Bus Stop” sign next to the sidewalk and one stop has a small shelter. The transit center will replace these six stops with a modern facility providing an enclosed waiting area, bus bay canopies, enhanced pedestrian crossings, ticket vending, and other amenities significantly improving passenger comfort. Another important benefit of the proposed transit center is the sense of place it will provide to the community. MTA will track and report the state of good repair of the transit center through their Transit Asset Management Plan.

12 U.S. Department of Transportation (2017) Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidance for Discretionary Grant Programs. 13 American Public Transportation Association, 2016 14 American Public Transportation Association, 2016


Sidewalks The project will replace and/or construct new sidewalks adjacent to the project site along Clarksville Pike and 26th Avenue. In addition, a new sidewalk will be added at the corner of Clarksville Pike and 26th Avenue N, and the sidewalk will be extended along the Cumberland Heights property.

Clarksville Pike in North Nashville

Economic Competitiveness Improve Access and Economic Competitiveness in an Opportunity and Promise Zone The North Nashville Transit Center and associated transit service improvements will improve access to employment centers and job opportunities for residents, commuters, and area businesses; create options for improved household incomes; provide access to employment opportunities requiring 2nd and 3rd shift workforce; and import new revenues for local businesses. The North Nashville Transit Center is located in an Opportunity Zone and a Promise Zone. The center will provide a passenger collection point for public transportation services and increase mobility for residents significantly improving economic competitiveness through reliable and timely access to jobs, training, and other essential services.

Twenty-two percent of North Nashville residents live in zero-vehicles households, the largest percentage of transit-dependent residents in the region. MTA plans to add additional bus routes, crosstown bus service, and rapid bus services providing increased mobility for residents allowing for faster public transit access to important destinations. Seniors represent almost 15 percent of North Nashville’s population and 24.4 percent of area residents are disabled.15 Facilities proposed for the transit center will create a more comfortable passenger experience and improvements projects will provide safer pedestrian access. The planned mixed-use development

15 U.S. Census Bureau 2018 American Community Survey Data


project and other new transit-accessible developments will generate growth in property values and future tax revenues that can help to support future community revitalization.

Conveyal Analysis software is an innovative new tool to evaluate changes in public transportation systems using accessibility indicators to quantify access to opportunities for transit users. Using Conveyal Analysis opportunity sets and Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) job location data, more fully described in the BCA Methodology Appendix, research found increased mobility for residents would significantly improve access to jobs in Davidson County. The analysis found improved job access from the transit center location with the expanded MTA transit services enabled local residents to access 183,623 jobs compared to 81,538 jobs without the expanded transportation services the proposed transit center will facilitate.

Improved Long-Term Efficiency in the Movement of Residents and Workers North Nashville is currently served by three existing bus routes: Route 22, Route 21, and Route 42. Service connecting to the North Nashville Transit Center will be expanded to six routes. This includes a cross-town connector linking to destinations to the north/northeast to provide connections to service on Gallatin Pike and Dickerson Pike (high ridership corridors). MTA also plans two additional crosstown route extensions, one from Tennessee State University to the transit center and another connecting the transit center to and from the Metro Center Business Park.

Photo courtesy of NashvilleNext


For this application MTA used Conveyal Analysis, a software program that integrates transit and land use data, to compare current system performance and accessibility with planned service improvements. Two different types of analysis were used, regional and runtime analysis. Runtime analysis shows accessibility from the proposed transit center to key destinations via the existing and planned transit routes under the current and proposed scenario. (Conveyal Analysis Methodology can be found here: http://www.nashvillemta.org/North-Nashville-Transit-Center-BUILD-Grant.asp.) Travel time improvements stem from route changes including operational improvements and stop consolidation. Runtime analysis is used to provide a quantitative evaluation of the economic benefits of transit improvements when tied to ridership and a value of time. Regional analysis uses accessibility indicators to quantify the access to economic opportunities for transit riders from the proposed North Nashville Transit Center using opportunity data sets and LEHD job location data. It calculates all the accessible connections between households and jobs, or another destination, within the region.

The Conveyal Runtime Analysis shows transit users receive a measurable benefit via improved passenger travel time to key destinations used in the analysis due to the MTA improved transit services made possible by the construction of the proposed North Nashville Transit Center. The proposed transit center will enable transit services improvements, including stop consolidation, which would reduce travel time promoting increased ridership. Table 7 shows the current and projected ridership for each of the six MTA transit routes planned to service the transit center. It also shows the current and projected median travel time between the transit center and the employment clusters to which they connect.

Table 7: Current and Projected Ridership

Destination Route

Current Avg.

Weekday Ridership

Projected Avg. Weekday

Ridership (nMotion)

Current Median

Travel Time (min)

Projected Median

Travel Time (min)

Metro Center 9 502 2,928 40 25 TSU/Vanderbilt 21 229 346 NA NA

Bordeaux/Downtown 22 1,676 4,775 NA NA Midtown 25 384 1,169 52 27

North Nashville/Downtown 42 413 1,159 NA NA

Gallatin Pike Trinity N/A 3,832 57 47

The outputs generated by the Conveyal analysis, show mid-day travel times with blue representing future (including service restructured around proposed transit center) and red representing existing travel time. The boxplots in Figure 5 show the distribution of travel times based on every possible scheduled departure time between 9AM and 3PM.

MTA plans to restructure Route 25 Midtown extending service to the transit center and providing RapidBus with a 10-minute frequency. This change would reduce passenger travel time, current median travel time is 52 minutes whereas projected median travel time with MTA service improvements will be reduced to 27 minutes providing faster connections to employment and medical facilities in Midtown.




Figure 5: Route 25 Midtown

“This transit center and the adjoining redevelopment is about revitalizing the neighborhood, about lifting people up, not moving people out.”

D.J. Wootson Transit site owner and

North Nashville businessman


Regional analysis quantifies how restructured transit services changes accessibility for transit riders from the proposed North Nashville Transit Center. It is based on the runtime analysis described in the previous sections along with LEHD job location data and other opportunity data sets. It provides a snapshot of how accessible the location is to opportunities across the region via transit service. The focus of this analysis is accessibility to jobs using a predetermined time cut-off. This analysis uses a 45-minute median travel time.

As a result of this analysis, increased mobility for residents would significantly improve the economic competitiveness of this area by providing better and faster access to jobs in Davidson County. The analysis found improved job access from the transit center location with the expanded MTA transit services enabled local residents to access 183,623 jobs compared to 81,538 jobs without the expanded transportation services the transit center will facilitate. Figure 6 shows the “footprint” of the location of these jobs under existing conditions (green) and in the future (blue).

Figure 6: Footprint of Job Locations within 45 Minutes of Transit Center


Access to education, health and wellness facilities, essential services, and cultural and recreational amenities would expand as well. Figure 7 shows a histogram with the number of jobs available to a local resident on the vertical axis as compared to the required travel time on the horizontal axis, for both existing conditions (blue) and proposed expanded transit network (red). The dark line represents the median travel time with the shared area representing the 25th to 75th percentile. Figure 7 shows the “footprint” of the location of these jobs under existing conditions (blue) and in the future (red).

Figure 7: Available Employment vs. Travel Time

Increased Economic Productivity of Land and Assets in Opportunity Zone There is a substantial body of research regarding the benefits of transit accessibility and growth in property values and community revitalization. Urban residential densities and transportation options play a key role in the ability of residential properties to maintain value and often to realize enhanced values. There is a growing interest in transit-accessible neighborhoods and several recent studies have found that transit-accessible residential sales have out-performed non-transit residential areas.16

The North Nashville Transit Center will help facilitate opportunities for development and redevelopment in this economically challenged community. The developer of the mixed-use development that will be constructed around the transit center has received approval for a zoning 16 Research includes: The New Real Estate Mantra, Location Near Public Transportation, APTA, National Association of Realtors, CNT, March 2013; Transportation Role in Economic Restructuring of Cleveland, Cleveland State University, January 2017


change allowing mixed-used higher density development on this site. The developer had indicated that the planned project will include up to 70 units of new housing, over 42,000 square feet of office and commercial development, and 30,358 square feet of retail space, as well as restaurants, bars, and a planned work-out facility. Urban Housing Solutions Phase II Project, 26th and Clarksville, will construct 63 affordable housing units within 1 block of the proposed transit center and MDHA plans to renovate 266 affordable units in the Cumberland View complex, located 4 blocks of the transit center. The analysis of future increases in property values, using a methodology utilized in two previously funded TIGER grants (round VII and VIII) estimate that over the next 20 years, property values within a one-mile radius of the proposed transit center will increase by more than $118 million dollars. This methodology is described in greater detail in the BCA Methodology in Appendix A.

As a designated Opportunity Zone, additional private capital sources will be available to support long-term capital investments to fund new development and redevelopment projects in communities like North Nashville. The area is also a qualified HUB Zone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone), Promise Zone, and is eligible for New Market Tax Credits. HUB Zone small businesses can apply for preferential access to federal procurement opportunities and New Market Tax Credits are designed to attract private investments for revitalizing neighborhoods. These tools will help to attract additional funding to increase the economic productivity of land and assets within the Opportunity Zone to further foster revitalization in North Nashville.

Environmental Sustainability and Health Benefits The transit center project will increase transit ridership and the planned infill and mixed-use development will create a higher density community environment that meets local development and redevelopment goals. The transit center site is currently under-developed with a large surface parking area, vacant commercial building, and a strip mall located at the rear of the site. The parcel is owned by a single owner who plans to demolish the existing structures and redevelop the site to accommodate mixed-use high-density development.

Mode Shift As noted in the State of Good Repair section, there is an unknown number of automobile trips due to transit mode shifts expected to occur that will result in fewer vehicles on the roadway. The reduction in the automobile trips, regardless of how small, represents a reduction in air emissions. Given the dynamic population and economic growth and the resulting increases in traffic in the Metro Nashville Region, it was not possible to utilize the Greater Nashville Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) travel demand model to analyze the impacts of mode shift. However, public outreach conducted for nMotion indicates a strong preference for improved transit services region wide and significant increases in ridership for the North Nashville Transit Center routes by 2040.

Transit Fleet MTA is committed to the reduction of air emissions as seen throughout their vehicle fleet. MTA currently has 11 electric buses and 69 hybrid buses. These environmentally friendly buses


account for 5 percent and 38 percent of the total transit fleet, respectively. Hybrid buses are estimated to cut emissions by as much as 75 percent compared to conventional diesel buses.17

Health Benefits Disadvantaged populations would find transit improvements to be particularly beneficial because these citizens are more likely to walk to public transit. Research from other cities indicates that those who live around transit stations tend to walk more, and there is a positive correlation between transit stop proximity and the amount walked per day.

Quality of Life The North Nashville Transit Center project will create a transportation hub, a clearly identifiable place for residents of this economically challenged community to gather and connect to essential services, jobs, and health care. Long term, the transit center is a key component of the transit improvement in the nMotion strategy including: increasing the number of transit routes and destinations from this center, improving transportation frequency and hours of services, and providing faster access to important locations. The increase in transportation choices will provide area residents opportunities to reach a wider array of job opportunities at more centers of employment including MetroCenter, Midtown, Gallatin Pike, and better access to jobs downtown. Improved transit access to Midtown will give residents better connections to hospitals and health care including Vanderbilt Medical Center, St. Thomas Hospital, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital, and Centennial Hospital.

The Metro Center, Nashville, Tennessee - Photo courtesy of NashvilleNext

17 Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Hybrid Buses Costs and Benefits. 2006


This project will make a positive difference to transit-dependent residents who live in North Nashville. At the proposed transit center residents will be able to make connections to MTA buses, car and bike sharing options, meet TNC drivers for last mile connections home, and connect with family and friends to enjoy events and activities. Of the 22,000 people living in North Nashville, nearly 5,000 live in a household with no access to a vehicle. For these residents, the transit center means a more comfortable environment waiting for the bus. Having a gathering place for transportation services will allow MTA to provide expanded access and connections for these residents.

Finally, this project will support opportunities for new transit-accessible affordable housing, commercial services, and leverage new options for redevelopment and revitalization in North Nashville. The transit center, coupled with new financial resources leveraged through the Opportunity, Promise, and HUB Zones along with funds from Nashville’s Under One Roof affordable housing investment program, can have a transformational impact on this area. This project can be a catalyst for mixed-use development, new housing, restaurants, and perhaps not too far down the road another performance venue where great jazz and blues musicians will again perform.

Secondary Selection Criteria Innovation The North Nashville Transit Center provides a number of opportunities for innovation. Metro Nashville has a significant unmet demand for affordable housing, particularly transit-accessible affordable housing. North Nashville has been designated as an Opportunity Zone, Promise Zone, is eligible for New Market Tax Credits, and was identified in the new Metro Nashville “Under One Roof 2029” program for affordable housing. By leveraging these financial resources and innovative higher density mixed use zoning standards, unique collaborations with private developers can support the construction or renovation of affordable transit accessible housing opportunity for this community. The transit center will also provide affordable mobility options for transportation dependent residents in North Nashville providing greater access to a broader range of employment opportunities, workforce skills training, health care, and amenities that Metro Nashville has to offer.

Partnership Although MTA will be solely responsible for delivering this project, this effort is the result of an innovative and long-standing collaborative partnership between MTA and RTA. This collaboration brings together 9 counties and 21 cities who continue to work closely together to solve regional public transit challenges and implement successful projects. MTA and RTA work together to build broader alliances with public and private entities to facilitate the development and management of a transit system that serves the needs of people, businesses, and communities in the region. This unique partnership shares a professional staff and their boards engage regularly to consider innovative programs and work with TDOT and other agencies to advance initiatives like: innovative intelligent transportation enhancements and options for “Bus on Shoulder” which has been approved by the Tennessee Legislature.


V. Project Readiness MTA is prepared to start construction on the North Nashville Transit Center project by June 2020 and will complete construction in July 2022. This project has been well planned and developed working with local, regional, and state officials and regional and local stakeholders. This BUILD Grant project will construct a new transit center that will enable MTA to improve transit services for this transit-dependent community. MTA has completed Public Transit Design Guidelines that include specific guidance for transit centers and has substantially completed negotiations for a long-term lease for the transit center site. The initial concept design for this transit center has been completed. Project Engineering will commence in partnership with the North Nashville community in Fall of 2019 to include context sensitive amenities and design.

North Nashville Community Meeting - Photo courtesy of NashvilleNext

Completed Required Approvals • Environmental Permits and Reviews for the North Nashville Transit Center – MTA

requested a Documented Categorical Exclusion (DCE) from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on June 4, 2019, and FTA advised MTA on June 24 they have approved this DCE.

• This project is included in the Nashville Area MPO Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for FYs 2017-2020 (project number 2015-111-069). Public meetings and outreach were completed throughout the development of the Nashville Area MPO Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP).


• NashvilleNext, General Plan for Nashville Davidson County and the North Nashville Community Plan adopted June 22, 2015 identified the project location on Clarksville Pike as a “New Urban Center” and this stretch of Clarksville Pike is categorized as a “Tier 1 Center,” to be “the focus of coordinated investments to shape growth and support transit service in the next ten years.”18

• State and Local Planning Approvals: The project is consistent with the 2015- 2040 Nashville Area MPO’s Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)

Project Schedule A detailed project schedule including all major milestones follows.

• Project engineering will be completed by April 2020 • Invitation to Bid April – July 2020 • Any property acquisition, if required, will be completed in accordance with 49 CFR part

24 and other applicable federal regulations • Break ground on project construction and obligation of BUILD Funds – August 2020 • Construction will be completed, and the facility opened for operation – August 2023

Assessment of Project Risks and Mitigation Strategies The most significant risk to this project is funding. The BUILD Grant, coupled with matching funds, will enable the project to move forward to final design and construction. MTA has a successful track record of managing federal grants and capital project delivery. To mitigate potential risks related to the completion of design and construction to meet the schedule milestones, MTA will follow their normal process of conducting weekly project team meetings and the project manager will develop and monitor a risk register and provide feedback to the team. MTA has an experienced Capital Grants Administrator who will work with the team to ensure compliance with all federal requirements and closely monitor the schedule.

18 “A General Plan for Nashville & Davidson County, Volume III Community Plans, North Nashville, Centers, page 20 and 21”

Apr2020

Jun 2020

Aug 2020

Aug 2023

Construction CompleteFacility Open

Break GroundObligate BUILD Funds

Invitationto Bid

EngineeringComplete


VI. Benefit Cost Analysis Executive Summary The Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) conducted for this application is consistent with all requirements specified in the BUILD NOFO and the Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidance for Discretionary Grant Programs provided by USDOT in June 2018. The BCA compares the direct and indirect benefits of the project to the required capital costs for the project. The project was evaluated in terms of the following characteristics, some of which were difficult to assign a financial value and were therefore discussed qualitatively in the application:

• Economic Competitiveness: Travel time savings through the implementation of rapid bus service, elimination of bus stops, and the efficiency of new crosstown bus service compared to the existing service that frequently requires riders to transfer through the downtown transit hub. This project has the potential to spur redevelopment and new development with North Nashville as evidenced by the proposed mixed-use development that is planned around the North Nashville Transit Center and new affordable housing to be constructed at 26th and Clarksville Pike. These and other development and redevelopment projects are expected to produce an increase in property values in the vicinity of the transit center, a major economic benefit identified in this BCA. Lastly, increased access to jobs and training in the Nashville region through improved mobility provided by the North Nashville Transit Center.

• Safety: Safety improvements that create a pedestrian and bike-friendly environment. Reduction in fatalities, injuries, and property damage resulting from fewer crashes involving vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists through an expected shift of some people from cars to buses.

• Environmental Sustainability: Reduced vehicle emissions through a decrease in VMTs by automobiles, removal of several bus stops in the vicinity of the transit center resulting in less stop-and-go traffic, and MTA’s commitment to use electric and hybrid buses in its vehicle fleet.

• Quality of Life Improvements: Better MTA bus service for North Nashville residents and businesses through planned transit improvements provided by MTA such as a safe and comfortable transit center for bus passengers, rapid bus service, ticket vending machines, sidewalk and crosswalk enhancements, and bike parking. In addition, health benefits for bus passengers encouraged to walk or ride bikes to and from the transit center due to improved connections for pedestrians and bike users. Finally, reduced noise impacts from the decrease in VMTs by automobiles once the transit center opens.

• Costs: Capital costs and annual operations and maintenance costs.


Table 8 presents the results of the BCA, expressed in terms of net present value (NPV) and benefit-cost ratio (BCR), using a discount rate of 7 percent.

Table 8: BCA Results

Benefits with 7% Discount Rate $107,315,000 Costs with 7% Discount Rate $15,586,000 NPV $91,729,000 BCR 7.76 Source: CDM Smith

Downtown Nashville


VII. Federal Wage Rate Certification

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