Mayor Briley signs 'Declaration of Transportation Independence' for Nashville

With one month until Nashville's contentious vote on a $5.4 billion transit plan, Mayor David Briley on Monday signed what he called a "Declaration of Transportation Independence."

Think of it as a non-binding Bill of Rights when it comes to commuting in Nashville — one that doesn't change city policy but instead pushes passage of the upcoming transit referendum.

Briley signed an oversized version of the document Monday night, capping a half-hour conversation with Janette Sadik-Khan, a former commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation who advises on transportation issues professionally.

"What I think independence truly means for Nashville, for our city, is to find a way to untether ourselves from this mythology that freedom means being in a car," Briley said.

"It means everyone having all of the options on the table so they can move around safe and independently."

► More: Nashville councilman to unveil his own transit plan on eve of early voting for referendum

Declaration lists eight transportation rights

Briley, who is pushing approval of a transit plan originally put forward by his predecessor, Megan Barry, was speaking before a crowd at Music City Center that was sympathetic to his cause.

Nashville Civic Design Center, Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition hosted the conversation. Sadik-Khan is author of "Streetfight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution."

Briley's "Transportation Declaration of Independence" does not have direct policy implications, but instead lists goals and priorities for the city and solicits support for the referendum. The mayor's office says that, to their knowledge, it is the only such declaration made by any city.

"Transportation independence is essential for the people of Nashville to live fulfilling lives," the document starts off.

"Transportation means: We can live and work where we choose because we all have access to reliable, safe and affordable transportation. Income, age and physical ability to not limit our access to reliable, safe and affordable transportation. Transportation is affordable to us all."

It goes on to say that a city that does not support transportation independence "does not fully support its residents and is failing in this fundamental task."

The declaration lists six "rights," including the ability to choose whether to drive, take public transportation, walk or bike.

The declaration concludes by saying the first step is to "invest in a transit network that serves everyone." It then pledges support for the upcoming transit referendum and calls on others to do the same. Briley and the Nashville For Transit Coalition have invited Nashvillians to add their signatures to the declaration at transitindependence.com.

Critics slam declaration as stunt

On social media, the declaration was slammed by some referendum opponents as a public relations stunt.

It also drew a quick rebuke from the political action committee NoTax4Tracks, which is fighting approval of the transit plan.

"There is nothing in it that liberates us from the highest sales tax of any major U.S. city — or from traffic," the group tweeted.

Mayor: Some 'don't have Nashville's best interest at heart'

Most of Monday's conversation was tailored for Briley to tout the transit referendum. The plan would raise four taxes, including the sales tax, to pay for a combination of light rail, rapid bus transit and bus improvements.

At one point, Briley accused some opponents of the transit plan of not having the best interest of Nashvillians in mind.

"This is another moment for our city to stand up to the forces who want to eliminate government, to the forces aligned with everyone who wants to make money off our not changing," Briley said. "There's a group of people who want to make money off our staying the way we are. They don't have Nashville's best interest at heart. They have their own financial interests at heart."

"This is a moment for us to stand up and say, 'No. Nashville knows a good direction to go.'"

► More: Transit supporters trot out Nashville Predators in latest referendum TV ad

Early voting on Nashville's transit referendum plan begins on April 11 ahead of the election on May 1.

Mayor pushes plan at TSU

Earlier in the morning, Briley stumped for approval of the transit referendum during a stop at Tennessee State University after arriving on campus by taking a Music City Circuit downtown-TSU connector bus.

Joined by media members for the trip, Briley said the route has seen a 50 percent increase in ridership since it expanded in 2016.

"This is the kind of service that would expand immediately upon the adoption of the transit initiative," Briley said.

"The sense of the city is that we're reaching or we've already reached the saturation point of vehicles," he said. "If we're going to continue to grow and add that 1 million people that everybody says is coming to Middle Tennessee over the next decades, what we have to do is make sure we build out a transit system so that people can continue to move around."

The North Nashville neighborhood near TSU would also get access to a new light rail line under the transit plan.

TSU is among multiple higher education institutions in Nashville that has endorsed the transit plan.

"We recognize the importance of transit to Tennessee State University, this area and the whole community," TSU President Glenda Glover said. "Students have commented on how glad they are this transportation initiative includes TSU because they are having to live further out because it's cost-sensitive in town."

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236, jgarrison@tennessean.com and on Twitter @joeygarrison.