Where's My Sidewalk?

From Megan Podsiedlik, The Pamphleteer, June 9, 2026 - Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s pitch was “Sidewalks, Signals, Service, and Safety,” in that order. That said, three-quarters of CHYM’s sales tax revenue is going toward WeGo bus services in FY 2027. Why? Because that’s the way the plan was written. 

“The legal structure under which we're allowed to collect it says that we had to make a transportation improvement plan that said, 'These are the projects and this is how we're going to spend it,'” explained CHYM Chief Program Officer Sabrina Sussman during last week's meeting.

Sussman says Nashville will get the “86 miles of sidewalks, 600 traffic signals, 39 miles of complete streets, and really bountiful changes to WeGo” promised in the referendum.

WeGo will never be self-sufficient 
Council Member Tasha Ellis asked whether CHYM and NDOT will ever be consolidated and completely funded by sales tax revenues in order to free up the general fund dollars traditionally earmarked for public transit. The answer was a resounding no.

“We do not envision a future where the general fund does not contribute at all to WeGo,” said Sussman. “Part of what was happening is the general fund obligations and needed investments were rising faster than the general fund was, and so this dedicated revenue allows you to still make those investments [and] really support the system without that increased burden back on the general fund. But we are not going to move to a place where the general fund isn't funding WeGo at all.”

What has your sales tax gotten you so far?

CHYM Finance Manager Andrew Walczak explained how CHYM’s FY2026 operating budget was spent.

“To date, we're just under $51.4 million, and it's worth noting that about $48 million of that $51.4 [million] has gone to direct transit services by WeGo,” said Walczak.

This includes the Journey Pass program, which has enrolled 11,000+ riders who will receive free WeGo rides for the next three years. That money has also gone toward expanded routes, more frequent service, and WeGo Link zones.

Sidewalks and signals 
So far, only one sidewalk project has been completed.

“Our first sidewalk funded through Choose How You Move was completed recently at Edge O Lake Drive,” said NDOT Interim Deputy Director Derek Hagerty.

Two other sidewalk projects are currently under construction, and four more are about to come online. 

As for smart signals, officials started with the 115 signals that are easiest to upgrade.

“Eighty-three of those are downtown; 32 are on Nolensville and Harding Place,” said Hagerty.

That said, delivering similar upgrades to all 592 signals included in the CHYM plan may prove to be a challenge on streets where fiber installation is needed.

Airport routes aren't taking off quite yet. Several council members inquired about WeGo services connecting riders to the airport. According to officials, hour-long bus trips are still a deterrent when people are choosing how to manage travel plans. 

“We used to run some of the trips express, and we found them to be very low patronage,” explained WeGo CEO Steve Bland. 

Bland says the future corridor planned for the airport extension is more promising: “The more streamlined service would be the Murfreesboro Pike all-access corridor, which would extend along Donaldson to the airport with very frequent service, more limited stops, and kind of a direct shot into the downtown court.”

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