Ahead of transit vote, we 'raced' 4 ways to downtown Nashville from Mt. Juliet. Here's what we learned.

Ahead of Nashville's May 1 transit vote, The Tennessean wanted to provide a window into four different forms of transportation.

So we decided to race from fast-growing Mt. Juliet to Public Square Park in downtown Nashville on March 28 — by interstate, surface street, Uber and the Music City Star commuter train.

We picked Mt. Juliet because commuting from the east is the only area in Middle Tennessee where a train is an option, and we wanted to show what that type of commute was like.

Our rules were simple: Leave at the same time from the Target in Providence MarketPlace during the morning rush hour — and if we drove, don't speed and find public parking.

We also observed what we learned along the way — from what we did on the train or the back of the Uber to what we saw other motorists doing on the interstate and surface roads.

Reporters Jason Gonzales, Andy Humbles, Jamie McGee and photojournalist Larry McCormack all graciously agreed to participate.

The race was a snapshot in time. We know that commutes often vary widely depending time of day and where you live.

We also wanted to have a little fun. Watch the video and see what we learned. Here's what our team learned.

The results

The race started from the Target parking lot in Providence Marketplace.

Start: 7:25 a.m.

First place: Larry McCormack, via the interstate — 8:20 a.m.

Larry McCormack, via the interstate — Second place : Jason Gonzales, via the Music City Star — 8:21 a.m.

: Jason Gonzales, via the Music City Star — Third place: Jamie McGee, via Uber — 8:33 a.m.

Jamie McGee, via Uber — Fourth place: Andy Humbles, via Lebanon Road — 8:38 a.m.

The interstate

When asked to participate in a study to determine “What's the fastest way to get to downtown Nashville from Mt. Juliet?” I was a little reluctant. I mean, there is no fast way!

I spend a lot of time in my car each day going to and from assignments all over town. The roads are packed no matter what part of town you’re in or what time of day. But rush hour is a nightmare.

I live in Mt. Juliet and am aware of the different options I have to get to Nashville. I rule out the Uber/Lyft and train options because once I’m in Nashville, I’m sent all over the mid-state on photo assignments. Letting someone else drive and put up with the pressure, headaches and possible accidents has great appeal for me. But it’s not an option.

It rained the day we commuted. (Videographer Michael Schwab rode with Larry to document the journey.) We left Providence MarketPlace in Mt. Juliet around 7:25 a.m. I didn’t think I stood a chance at first place but, to my advantage, I was right next to the interstate and Andy had to travel 5 miles through some school zones to pick up Lebanon Road. Jason was required to travel to the train, park and make the 7:45 a.m. train on East Division in Mt. Juliet. Jamie had to wait several minutes on her driver.

One of my pet peeves is the HOV lane. Signs plainly state that it’s for carpooling, but very few cars have more than one person inside. I can’t bring myself to break the rules, so I patiently wait while others zip past me in the left lane without a second occupant.

I saw several “almost” accidents because of distracted drivers. Eating, putting on makeup, texting and some even reading as they drove. One woman had a flat tire, almost on the rim, and she was oblivious to the fact as she stood in standstill traffic texting. We finally got her attention and let her know of her plight.

The real reason I won the contest was because I-24 an I-40 come together right before Fesslers Lane. It’s four lanes from I-24 and four lanes from I-40 going into four lanes. That morning there were four or five accidents on I-24 right before you get to the split. It had I-24 backed up and allowed more of I-40 traffic to flow more easily into town.

And, yes, I parked on the top of the parking garage at Public Square instead of going into the parking garage. Saved me a minute or so in time but it also saved my employer about $6 for the short time I was there. No one was more surprised than me when I arrived first.

— Larry McCormack, photojournalist

The back roads

I live in Wilson County and make the trip into Nashville daily, usually taking either Interstate 40 or Lebanon Road. Our race was a pretty typical trek, and probably faster for everyone than I would have predicted with the rain.

I rarely take the interstate when it's wet anymore, so it surprised me that Larry won (though he had a 3-4 mile head start with Providence right off I-40 as opposed to going across town through school zones to get to Lebanon Road and avoiding the parking garage, which finding a place was a chore of its own).

But I generally find Lebanon Road a little less stressful than I-40, listening to sports talk on the way in. It has a pattern. Yes, there are the traffic lights and points where vehicles will bottle up, and a holdup on I-40 will usually bring spillover, so if Lebanon Road is backed up more than usual the interstate probably isn’t a solution.

The hardest part about taking Lebanon Road is reaching downtown thanks to lane and road closures and a seemingly increasing number of motorists who don’t seem to care about being in the middle of intersections when the light changes.

— Andy Humbles, Mt. Juliet reporter

The Music City Star

The transit race marked the first time I’d traveled on the Music City Star, and it was surprisingly easier than I expected.

To get downtown, I parked at the Mt. Juliet Station, which was packed by the time I got there. I arrived early to board the train that departed at 7:45 a.m., which was right on time. I had some trouble with the card machine, so I paid the $5.25 to the conductor once on board.

There were only a handful of passengers in my double-decker train car at first, but it slowly filled. Riding the train that day was Jacqueline Thomas, who said she rides it on a weekly basis. As she put it, it’s the easiest way to get downtown.

It certainly was the least stressful. Interstate 40 traffic will drive you mad some weekdays.

The train got downtown at 8:15 a.m. The Riverfront Station is only a few blocks from our meeting place at Public Square Park. I leisurely strolled up to our meeting spot and came in second.

— Jason Gonzales, children issues reporter

Uber

My commute had to have been the easiest. I took Uber into Nashville and was able to relax, chat with the driver and check email (until I got carsick). Not having to pay attention to the road, I could text and scroll through Twitter. It was comfortable and stress-free.

The drawback was, of course, the cost. The hour-long trip from Mt. Juliet was nearly $24, before tip, which is hardly a sustainable way to travel each day.

My biggest takeaway was just how long and slow the trip felt. I spent a lot of time looking at the backs and sides of cars, moving at a frustrating 5 or 10 miles an hour for much of the trip.

Fellow commuters sang to themselves, talked on the phone and even texted as they passed the time on the way into town. Mine was not an unpleasant ride in the back seat, but it was time that definitely could have been better spent at home or at work.

— Jamie McGee, business reporter

Nashville at a crossroads

► Nashville transit referendum: Would defeat derail push for a decade?

► Light rail vs. buses debated in Nashville transit referendum fight

► Nashville transit referendum: Where do Uber, Lyft, autonomous vehicles fit in?

► Transit plan's scope is limited to Nashville. What does that mean for region?