As Nashville looks to expand its transit, Jackson Walker partner Wade Cooper shared insights with Nashville Business Journal about how Capital Metro was able to get approval of a $7.1 billion public transit plan after having Austin voters reject a $1 billion plan in 2014.

As part of the Project Connect plan, Austin will add a new rail system with three light rail lines, a downtown transit tunnel with underground stations, 24 new Park & Rides, and 42 new miles to expand its existing bus service.

“Our takeaway was our plan needed to be bigger and bolder. It needed to be viewed as something that would really move the needle,” Wade said. “We wondered whether the tunnel would capture people’s imagination or repel them. I think people came to the conclusion that this is finally something that will solve our traffic problems, or would at least make a meaningful dent in it.”

“Our takeaway was our plan needed to be bigger and bolder. It needed to be viewed as something that would really move the needle.”

To read more, see the Nashville Business Journal article “These voters fueled approval of Austin’s $7B transit plan. Nashville has a lot of them.” Please note a subscription is required to view the full article. For additional information about Project Connect, view the KVUE article “Project Connect: What to know about the $7.1B public transit plan.”

Meet Wade

Managing Partner C. Wade Cooper began his practice with Jackson Walker in 1981 and established the Austin office in 1997. Wade handles substantial commercial litigation, arbitration, and bankruptcy matters in Texas and across the United States. His clients include data center REITs, oil and gas companies, telecommunications carriers, national banks, and technology companies. In 2018, Wade was named a finalist in the Executive Leadership category of the Austin Chamber of Commerce’s Greater Austin Business Awards.

Outside of his practice, Wade serves as Chairman of the Board of the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He is also a member of the Mobility Transformation Advisory Council and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Authority Transit Working Group.