New Episode of NYC DOT's Curb Enthusiasm Podcast Features Discussion With Nashville Department of Transportation Director Diana Alarcon

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IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 28, 2025 Contact: (212) 839-4850, [email protected]

New Episode of NYC DOT's Curb Enthusiasm Podcast Features Discussion With Nashville Department of Transportation Director Diana Alarcon

Alarcon Discusses the Choose How You Move Initiative, a Sales Tax Referendum Passed by Voters to Provide $3.1 Billion for More Reliable and Convenient Transportation for Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee

The Conversation also Addresses Nashville's Tremendous Growth in Recent Years, the Need for a Multi-Modal Approach to Its Transit System, and Plans to Build 82 Miles of Sidewalk

NEW YORK - New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced the release of the 11th episode of the agency's Curb Enthusiasm podcast. The episode features Diana Alarcon, director of Nashville Department of Transportation, and focuses on the Choose How You Move referendum passed by Davidson County, Tennessee voters last November to raise the sales tax by 0.5 percent to fund a $3.1 billion transportation improvement program over 30 years. Nashville is widely regarded as one of the nation's fastest growing cities, but also known for long commuting times, walkability challenges, a need for enhanced bicycle infrastructure, and limited access to public transportation. The referendum, which passed with 66 percent of the vote, is seen as an engine for improvement in these areas.

Director Alarcon delves right into the background of the referendum, including its passage, the collection of funds beginning this February, and then funding beginning in April. She discusses investment in the four tenets of the initiative: services, signals, safety, and sidewalks, and the importance of each to the more than 750,000 people in the city of Nashville, and 1.1 million residents in Davidson County. Director Alarcon also cites how the city grows by 100 people a day, expects to receive 24 million visitors this year, and anticipates significantly more growth in the near future. The lack of a direct transit line from the airport to downtown, signal prioritization, bus rapid transit, and potential park and ride lots take center stage in the conversation.

The discussion highlights one example of how it took one bus line 13 minutes to travel a block in Nashville, propelling the city to focus on bus service improvements, including Bus Rapid Transit to the growing East Bank where the NFL's Tennessee Titans stadium is located. Director Alarcon also notes that Nashville has added an entirely new signal program, with each intersection having a Leading Pedestrian Interval. She cites important "wins" such as these as being needed to feed into the rollout of Choose How You Move. Lastly, Director Alarcon touches on how though Nashville is just entering its third year of Vision Zero, data shows a reduction in traffic deaths and a great decline in serious injuries.

"Our 11th episode of our Curb Enthusiasm podcast takes a deep dive into the challenges facing one of America's fastest growing cities and how Nashville voters passed a multi-billion-dollar referendum to deliver core street safety improvements," said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "This podcast provides a platform for cities across the world to learn from one another and how they are tackling transportation problems in new and innovative ways."

The Curb Enthusiasm podcast focuses on issues at the local, national, and international level and features guests who discuss the most consequential transportation work happening all over the globe.

The episode is co-hosted by Emily Weidenhof, assistant commissioner of public realm at NYC DOT and Rochelle Brahalla, director of transit strategy in NYC DOT's Transit Development unit.

Curb Enthusiasm is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Amazon Music, BuzzSprout and other major streaming platforms. More information is available at nyc.gov/CurbEnthusiasm.

About Diana Alarcon

Diana Alarcon serves as director of the Nashville Department of Transportation, to which she was appointed in 2021 during the agency's infancy, following enactment of the Metro Nashville Transportation Plan. Prior to Nashville, Alarcon served as director of transportation and mobility for Tucson, Arizona since 2018. Alarcon's three decades of experience also includes launching another new department of transportation, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she had served as transportation and mobility director for the municipality since 2011.

In both of her previous positions, Alarcon led the development of long-term strategic plans to improve transportation safety and create balanced, sustainable mobility networks. Alarcon also has a parking background from running parking and fleet services for Fort Lauderdale (2008-2010) and serving as director of operations for Central Parking's Chicago base.

Alarcon is a member of the Women in Transportation Seminar, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Urban Land Institute, the American Planning Association, the National Transit Institute, the American Public Works Association and the National Association of City Transportation Officials.

Diana earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Florida.

About Emily Weidenhof, Episode Co-Host

Emily Weidenhof is assistant commissioner of public realm at NYC DOT. Emily works closely with community organizations throughout the five boroughs to transform their streets as public space. For over a decade, she has focused on strengthening communities through the creation of plazas and shared streets and retooling the curb lane for innovative programming. She's also played an integral role in NYC DOT's Broadway Vision Plan, which employs a range of tools to reimagine the famed Manhattan corridor from Union Square to Columbus Circle, which now prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists. Emily has worked as an architect and urban designer in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, including at the NYC Department of City Planning.

Emily received her bachelor's degree in architecture from Pennsylvania State University and her master's degree in architecture and urban design from Columbia University.

About Rochelle Brahalla, Episode Co-Host

Rochelle Brahalla is a director of transit strategy in NYC DOT's Transit Development unit, where she manages data-driven messaging, visioning, and strategic partnerships to improve bus service for all New Yorkers. Rochelle has worked across non-profit, development, and private sectors to advance equity in the built environment for over a decade. Previously, she managed the Oregon Toll Program's equity strategy for WSP USA, and in a previous stint in NYC DOT's School Safety unit, she implemented Vision Zero projects and programs across the five boroughs. Most recently, she led the final phase of the Reimagine the Cross Bronx study, a community-driven vision to reconnect communities separated by the Robert Moses-era expressway. Prior to her career in transportation planning, Rochelle worked in urban agriculture and food policy in Memphis, Tennessee.

Rochelle received a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture from Cornell University and a master of public administration in development policy from NYU Wagner's School of Public Service.