The Coalition  

A coalition of concerned citizens was formed in July 2009 to oppose a commuter rail system that would run from Clarksville to Nashville with an intermediate station in Ashland City.  This route is called the Nashville & Western corridor.  While we are not opposed to a commuter rail per se, we are opposed to a commuter rail along this corridor for the following reasons:

• Nashville's first commuter rail, the Music City Star, has experienced severe budget deficits and lower-than-projected ridership since its service began in September 2006.  An article in The Tennessean on May 25, 2009, stated that the path for the Music City Star "provided the cheapest option because it required virtually no new track...But it was also the route that would produce the fewest riders."   (See this article in full under the "NEWS GALLERY" tab.) The cheapest route is not necessarily the most fiscally responsible.  We want to make sure the flawed justification for the Music City Star route is not used for the Nashville & Western corridor.
• The "cheapest option" appears to be the motivating force for the Nashville & Western corridor, regardless of potential ridership.  See the Initial Feasibility Study published in October 2008 under the "DOCUMENTS" tab.  
• In July 2009, the Cheatham County Commission adopted the county’s five-year strategic economic plan on Monday — a plan that calls for establishing a commerce park in the Pleasant View area.  A commuter rail through Ashland City will not serve those new businesses.
• Hemlock Semiconductor is building a $1 Billion production facility about 1-1/2 miles from I-24, Exit 4.  It is estimated that this investment will create 500 jobs, with the potential of employing up to 900 people within five to seven years.  A commuter rail through Ashland City will not serve the new Hemlock Semiconductor facility.
• We expect that a commuter rail system along this corridor would seriously impact the Tennessee Wildlife Refuge and the 7-mile Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail.

In a Nutshell

The newest developments along the I-24 corridor, the Pleasant View business park and the Hemlock Semiconductor facility near Exit 4 have the potential to add hundreds or even a thousand more vehicles along that already congested corridor.  Your government entities are pushing for the cheapest option, commuter rail through Ashland City, regardless of whether or not it's effective, efficient, and fiscally responsible.  

Website Content

The content of this website is a collaborative effort of the coalition.  Our mission is to develop and maintain a website that provides documentation to support opposition to the commuter rail from Clarksville to Nashville via Ashland City.

  Join the Coalition

It's important to stay informed about the status of the commuter rail. Join the Coalition and receive updates about new documents and articles published on this site.  To be removed from the Coalition, send an email using the "CONTACT US" form.