Based on Music City Star ridership being up 20% from last year the MTA/RTA is now in the early stages of planning a couple of side rails for long-term planning of increased use of the line (Source Jeff Syracuse - Metro Council District 15 Candidate). This is great news for neighbors living on the Nashville Eastern Railroad line with Bluefields sitting in the most enviable position opposite Donelson Station. Since the AMP was rejected by Nashville residents the conversation has moved to commuter Rail as the most viable form of 21st century travel.
Recently Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority CEO Stephen Bland took questions Tuesday from an audience of about 100 residents at MTA’s first public meeting on its year-long strategic transit plan and there is no doubt that CSX and railway line ownership is going to be a tremendous challenge... read article here
It is hard to quantify what an asset a commuter train is to an urban suburb but in my home town (Melbourne, Australia) train line property is at a premium in particular near train stations. As the conversation all over Nashville turns to railway discussion we should be doing everything we can to participate in the strengthening of the assest we already have in place. The only communuter line in Nashville with a city growing leaps and bounds and roads already at capacity.
This year folks from Smart Growth will be looking to become more aquainted with the MTA/RTA so we can be proactive and involved in railway line decisions that will affect us in Bluefields (and our surrounding neighbors) while the rest of Nashville clammers for massive resources to create new lines and options...
We also wanted to note that a new frieight train has commenced an evening route thru Donelson several nights a week (around 9:00 p.m.). This new frieight train commenced earlier this year but highlights the potential changes that can happen at any time along a railway line and clearly without any notice to Bluefield's Residence.