TDOT official selected as leader of transit group

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Tennessee Department of Transportation official has been selected to lead a group that's been pushing for an overhaul of mass transit in Middle Tennessee.

The Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee announced Tuesday that Ed Cole, TDOT's environment and planning chief, will lead the group. Cole will join the group April 15 and will advocate expanding mass transit in Nashville and the surrounding counties.

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, who last month said the cost of expanding the region's mass transit system would be "scary," applauded the decision to hire Cole and said he's the right person to head the group.

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Information from: The Tennessean, http://www.tennessean.com