Should Tennessee invest in passenger rail to places like Atlanta and Chicago?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The ever-increasing congestion on our roads is something that concerns us all.

But could we find a solution to all that traffic with passenger rail from Nashville to other cities?

For decades, Nashville has been out of the equation when it comes to passenger rail service beyond the city, to destinations like Memphis, Chattanooga and Atlanta.

But now a new study state lawmakers commissioned says the Tennessee Department of Transportation should determine the cost to start passenger rail service like Amtrak on several different routes — the highest priority being from Nashville to Chattanooga and then Atlanta.

WeGo Star riders say in the years and decades to come it would be nice to potentially take a train like this to other destinations than just work.

“It would be great to get on the Amtrak system. I’ve seen the plan. It connects us to just one direction. It would be awesome to see it connect in more directions,” said WeGo Star rider Willis Kelley.

In response to the study, TDOT said:

“We are currently evaluating all of the recommendations and remain committed to taking a holistic and multimodal approach to the mobility needs of our citizens and communities. We are certainly interested in all mobility options including passenger rail linking major cities in and through Tennessee and their economic benefits. As with all transportation projects of this magnitude, cost and feasibility are considerable components that still need to be fully evaluated and understood. It will also require participation from several stakeholders such as Amtrak, FRA, bordering states, and coordination efforts between our railroad partners as passenger rail would likely operate on the same lines that handle freight traffic. Over the next several months we will be engaging these interested parties as we incorporate the findings into our updated Statewide Rail Plan.”