Commuter rail plan underway

Construction on Nashville's first commuter rail has officially started with the delivery of approximately 80,000 feet of rail.

A second shipment is expected early next year, and the first train on the 32-mile corridor between Downtown Nashville and Lebanon is planned to run by the end of 2005.

The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) decided to move forward with the project even though $8.1 million in federal funds are still lacking. The RTA Board, consisting of city and county mayors in nine Middle Tennessee counties, showed its confidence in the project by approving the rail procurement contract of $3.4 million to L.B. Foster Company in August.

The Music City Star East Corridor Commuter Rail will cost about $39.7 million; $24 million of which is new start funding from the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA). The $8.1 million still lacking is part of the FTA funding.

Lebanon Mayor Don Fox is confident that RTA's congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., will be able to secure the rest of the money.

"They've been able to pull it [off] every year, and we have full confidence this year that they'll do the same," Fox said a few weeks ago.

Other upcoming construction activities include the signal work in Davidson County, which will start within the next month.

RTA Board Chair Mayor Bill Purcell said he is pleased to see progress being made on the state's first commuter rail system.

For more information on the Music City Star, visit www.rta-ride.org.