PUBLIC TRANSIT: Nashville unveils schedule for bus rapid transit project

The Nashville (Tenn.) Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) presented a tentative schedule for its pursuit of funding for the East-West Connector bus rapid transit program on Thursday. Officials hope to have construction completed by the end of 2015 but acknowledged it could extend into 2016.

The East-West Connector would join Five Points in East Nashville with White Bridge Road in West Nashville, a 7.5-mile route. Total project costs are estimated at $175 million, with a 14-month construction schedule.

MTA will begin work on the federal grant application process in October, with hopes of coordinating with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) throughout. The agency expects to know more about FTA’s involvement by January.

Under the rest of the tentative timeline, environmental documents would be submitted in April and signed by July. MTA would then begin seeking final design bids for the route itself. At this pace, officials expect the full, formal federal grant application would be submitted in September 2013.