NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nashville chamber officials are pushing for a bold, costly regional transit plan as a solution to Middle Tennessee's growing mass transportation problem.

The Tennessean reports (http://tnne.ws/28Pcicv) the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce recommends in a report released Wednesday that "a starting point" for a future regional plan be one of three transit scenarios recently outlined by Metro Transit Authority.

The estimated $5.4 billion system could take decades to build and consists of an array of options including light rails along Nashville's major corridors, commuter rails for surrounding counties, street cars and additional rapid and express bus routes.

MTA's board is expected to adopt a transit plan during the late summer. The chamber has outlined a goal of breaking ground on the first installment of a transit system by 2020.

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