Nashville Mayor Elected Chairman of Metropolitan Planning Organization
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 22, 2010) -
The Executive Board of the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization unanimously voted to elect Mayor Karl Dean chairman of the regional planning body as Middle Tennessee undergoes a major update to its multi-billion dollar Regional Transportation Plan this year.
“This is a critical time for transportation planning in the region,” Dean said. “We have the Middle Tennessee Mayors Caucus and private-sector Transit Alliance both working diligently to develop a plan for dedicated funding at the local level for regional mass transit. The MPO will be at the center of connecting those local funds with federal transportation dollars, and finally turning plans into actual new transportation options in our region.”
Required by federal law, the 2010 update to the plan must look ahead 20+ years and include all regionally significant road, transit, walking, and biking projects.
The 2010 plan update will seek to address regional goals for livability, sustainability, prosperity and diversity. The MPO may set aside money for projects that support significant policy initiatives such as transit – including what would be new options for Middle Tennessee like passenger rail or Bus Rapid Transit – as well as walkable/bikeable communities, livability, and sustainability. The plan may include an innovative vision for transportation in the region but ultimately must establish a path to realistic financial feasibility.
“Mayor Dean’s chairmanship of the MPO arrives at a crucial time for discussion around new mobility options for the entire Middle Tennessee region,” said Michael Skipper, executive director of the Nashville Area MPO. “As the region continues to grow, we'll need to work together to find innovative ways of protecting our regional economic competitiveness and high quality of life. The mayor’s leadership and willingness to work with private-sector organizations like Cumberland Region Tomorrow, and the business community in general, will significantly help this vital decision-making body arrive at the most suitable regional policies and investments that lead us toward our collective vision.”
About the MPO
Established through federal legislation, the Nashville Area MPO has the authority to plan, prioritize, and select transportation projects in the metropolitan area for federal funding and to coordinate any major transportation initiative that has significance to the region. The Nashville Area MPO is the regional transportation planning agency for more than 1.5 million people throughout Davidson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, Wilson and parts of Maury and Robertson counties.
The MPO is directed by an Executive Board consisting of city and county mayors from across Middle Tennessee, who gather once a month to make transportation-related decisions that affect the region. Additional Executive Board members include the Governor, and representatives from the Greater Nashville Regional Council, the Tennessee Dept. of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, and the Federal Transit Administration.
The current membership roster for the MPO Executive Board is available online at: www.nashvillempo.org/mpo_executive_board.html
About the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan
The 2010 update to the plan will set forth a regional vision for how billions of dollars in transportation investments will be made over the next 25 years to support personal and social economic prosperity while encouraging sustainable growth and development practices to protect and preserve valuable community and natural assets.
For media inquiries contact:
Janel Lacy
(615) 862-6020
janel.lacy@nashville.gov