WeGo, city and federal partners open Dr. Ernest 'Rip' Patton Jr. North Nashville Transit Center

WeGo Public Transit and Metro Nashville officials on Aug. 29 unveiled the Dr. Ernest 'Rip' Patton Jr. North Nashville Transit Center, a $16,900,000 facility designed to expand cross‑town bus connections, add rider amenities and honor local civil‑rights history.

"More routes, more frequent service, better connections, more amenities for our riders, and maybe most important, more dignity," said Steve Bland, CEO of WeGo Public Transit, during remarks at the ribbon‑cutting ceremony. Bland also said the seven routes that intersect at the new center saw a 36% increase in ridership year over year before the building opened.

Mayor Freddie O'Connell framed the new center as part of a larger shift in the city's network away from a downtown‑centric hub‑and‑spoke system toward point‑to‑point connections across neighborhoods. He said state contributions covered roughly one‑third of the project's cost and federal support paid for "nearly half" of the $16.9 million, with…