NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Green Hills area of Nashville is known to be congested, with so many businesses, homes and drivers in the area.
WeGo Public Transit hopes to move people through the area faster by officially opening the Hillsboro Transit Center.
It’s 20 times the size of the former bus stop in front of Hillsboro High School.
It features covered bus bays, ticket machines, real-time bus info, a climate-controlled waiting room, phone charging stations, Wi-Fi, ticket vending machines, lighting improvements, and enhanced security.
The new transit center also means WeGo will improve bus routes. The area currently serves route 7 Hillsboro Pike connecting to Hillsboro Village, midtown and downtown. Future expansions are planned this weekend route 17 from 12 South will extend to reach it.
It will directly connect Green Hills to Lipscomb University, 12 South, and the Gulch.
WeGo worked with transportation departments from the state and Nashville, as well as, Metro Nashville Public Schools to make this a reality.
Chief Executive Officer for WeGo Steve Bland said they’ve been working on this project for several years, but because of the construction on Hillsboro High School, the project went unnoticed until recently.
"One of the things we're also hoping to accomplish with these facilities is just increasing the visibility of public transit. Giving people a sense that yeah, I can, and I should give that a try. Also, with quick ticket we expect it to be a much easier experience," Bland said.
MNPS donated the property for WeGo to build the new transit center at no cost. Bland said because of the free space, the project saved the taxpayers of Davidson County several $100,000.
WeGo reports hundreds of students use their buses to get to and from school.
Currently, MNPS high school students can ride the bus for free.
Bland said before this new center, easily 80 kids would be crammed into one of those little bus shelters. Now they will have room to spread out.
He doesn’t want to stop with just this one transit center. He wants to see WeGo continue to expand.
"We're seeing our ridership continue to steadily increase back to those pre-pandemic levels. We hope that is the first of many neighborhood transit centers around the city as it expands our web of options," Bland explained.
On Thursday, WeGo officials will join Mayor John Cooper, Director of Metro Schools Dr. Adrienne Battle, and several others to host a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new transit center.