Funding city infrastructure at the ballot box: what Nashville got right with Amanda Wall Vandegrift

Transit ballot measures are often seen as a long shot — especially when affordability is top of mind and voters are being asked to raise their own taxes. But in November 2024, 66% of Nashville voters said yes to Choose How You Move, a half-penny sales tax funding $3.1 billion in transit expansion, sidewalk construction, and urban infrastructure improvements across Davidson County. So what made it work — and what can other cities learn heading into the 2026 midterm elections?In November 2024, sixty-six percent of Nashville voters approved Choose How You Move — a half-penny sales tax funding $3.1 billion in transit expansion, sidewalk construction, and urban infrastructure improvements across Davidson County. So what changed? In this episode of Building Better Cities, host Kate Gasparro sits down with Amanda Wall Vandergrift, Deputy CEO of WeGo Public Transit, to unpack the specific messaging, coalition-building, and program design strategies that moved two-thirds of voters to raise their own taxes.In this episode, we discuss:How Nashville flipped the narrative from "fix transit" to "give us more of what's already working" — and why that distinction mattersWhy framing the program around sidewalks, signals, service, and safety resonated more than flashy urban development projectsThe one strategic mistake Amanda sees transit agencies repeat when taking infrastructure programs to the ballot boxWhat cities pursuing sustainable development, urban regeneration, and voter-approved transportation investment should be doing right now ahead of November 2026This episode is essential listening for local leaders, city planners, transit advocates, and real estate investors betting on transit-oriented infrastructure.Resources:5 strategies to help transit ballot measures succeed (SmartCitiesDive)Transit Wins Big Again in Local Electrions Across America (StreetsBlog USA)Nashville among wave of successful 2024 transit votes nationwide (Tenessee Lookout)80% of Public Transit Measures Passed in 2025 Elections (Planetizen)Send us Fan MailThanks for listening to Building Better Cities! If you'd like to stay connected, don't forget to Subscribe and Follow. You can find all our archived newsletters and podcasts right here. Want to get in touch? Just email the team at [email protected].