NASHVILLE — Tennessee lawmakers last week gave final approval to Gov. Bill Lee’s $3.3 billion Transportation Modernization Act, which among other aims will expand taxpayer-funded interstates in rural areas from two to three lanes while also providing authority to introduce new publicly owned but privately funded and operated toll or “choice” lanes in Hamilton County and other congested urban areas in the state.
“Tennessee needs a transportation strategy fit for the fastest-growing state in the nation, and our plan will prepare rural and urban communities for continued growth and economic opportunity, all without new taxes or debt,” Lee, a Republican, said in a statement. “I commend the General Assembly for its partnership to meet our state’s transportation needs.”
The governor first mentioned Tennessee needed to act the night of his November victory speech.
Lee and other proponents say the act will provide the resources needed to solve the state’s current and future “mobility challenges.”