Exterior view of the Dr. Ernest Rip Patton, Jr. North Nashville Transit Center with multiple bus bays, a modern dark-brick building, and WeGo buses under canopy structures Modern transit center building with dark brick exterior, tall windows, and a shaded entry canopy, set in a landscaped area with signage and a tree-lined sidewalk. Outdoor plaza with trees, benches, and colorful public art murals at a transit center, providing a shaded space for passengers to rest. View along the platform at a bus bay with modern shelters and digital signage; WeGo buses are visible at the station in the background Covered outdoor bus bays at a public transit center, with numbered platforms and seating areas beneath angular black metal canopies. Interior of the transit center with natural lighting, modern circular light fixtures, black seating, and mounted TVs for passenger information.

North Nashville Transit Center

The Dr. Ernest Rip Patton, Jr. North Nashville Transit Center is a transformative WeGo Public Transit hub designed to improve connectivity with new routes and crosstown service—reducing reliance on downtown transfers. As one of Nashville’s first neighborhood-based transit centers, it includes flexible bus bays, multimodal amenities, paratransit lanes, and pedestrian-friendly features like terraced plazas and amphitheater seating.

Extensive community input helped shape cultural elements such as interactive murals, digital storytelling, and the Freedom Riders Promenade, honoring Dr. Patton and North Nashville’s civil rights legacy. The design also includes level boarding platforms and smart signal technology, establishing the center as a model for future transit infrastructure.

Sustainable elements like native landscaping, energy-efficient systems, solar-ready infrastructure, and dark-sky compliance complement safety features such as lighting, security cameras, and defensible site planning. Since opening, the center has boosted ridership by 36%, connecting more residents to essential services and opportunities.

Year:

2024

Location:

Nashville, TN

Architect:

Smith Gee Studio in collaboration with Wendel Companies

Client:

WeGo and MTA

Services:

Architect of Record & Interior Design

Awards:

Transit Alliance Middle Tennessee, Development of the Year, 2024 American Society of Highway Engineers Awards (ASHE), Project of the Year, 2024