At the State of the State last night, Governor Bill Lee addressed the 113th State Assembly and Tennesseans on the growing need for transportation. Acknowledging Tennessee as one of the fastest-growing states in the country, he called for an investment in transportation strategy and introduced the Transportation Modernization Act.
Lee addressed the state being behind on projects- 26 billion dollars behind. He says that if we don’t find a new way to support the construction of roads and bridges and a way to change our current strategy, rural communities will be the ones paying the price.
"It’s a plan to engage public-private partnerships to build additional Choice Lanes on urban highways, to ensure electric vehicle owners pay their share in maintaining the roads and to provide a delivery model that builds rural and urban projects faster all without the burden falling on Tennessee taxpayers,” Lee said.
He says the problem cannot be fixed with debt or higher taxes, but something must be done. Lee’s plan will ensure the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), under the leadership of Commissioner Butch Eley, has the resources needed to solve the state’s current and future mobility challenges.
“Tennessee is facing a critical juncture when it comes to transportation and mobility,” said Commissioner Eley. “Our infrastructure investments will ensure that TDOT has the tools needed to quickly deliver and maintain quality roads so that Tennesseans and commerce can move across our state, all while saving taxpayer dollars.”