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The Middle Tennessee Regional Transportation Authority's (RTA) board voted recently to restructure so that the authority potentially could receive dedicated funds for a new regional transportation system.

All modes of public transit are being considered, including light rail, streetcars and additional heavy rail lines, such as the Music City Star, said RTA officials in a prepared statement.

Earlier this month, the board adopted a resolution recommended by the RTA Executive Committee that evaluated advantages and disadvantages of restructuring under new state legislation. The board passed the resolution after months of consideration.

The board’s 31 members now will return to their respective boards and commissions to seek their approval of the resolution, RTA officials said. Board members, who are local elected officials from nine Middle Tennessee counties and several state appointees, have until the end of the year to ratify the resolution.

"We have a good long-range transportation plan; now we must figure out how we can make significant investments in transit for the benefit of our entire region, and we must do this quickly," said Gallatin Mayor and newly elected RTA Chairwoman Jo Ann Graves.

Other officers recently elected to the RTA's board are Nashville-Davidson County Mayor Karl Dean, vice chairman; and Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee Executive Director Ed Cole, a governor's appointee, secretary.