Tolls may figure into Tennessee highway financing, commissioner says

Interstate 40 in the Knoxville, Tenn., area is undergoing major renovation work. Considered one of the worst I-40 bottlenecks from North Carolina to California, this stretch of highway was closed for 14 months beginning May 1 as part of a $275 million SmartFix40 rebuilding project, the largest ever in Tennessee. The state needs revenue for other highway projects and may turn to toll bridges and roads as part of the answer. (Associated Press)

The Trucker News Services

7/18/2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) says that the state must consider new methods to finance new highway construction and pay for maintenance of existing roadways and toll roads and bridges might have to be one of those methods.

“TDOT currently funds road projects on a pay-as-you go system, which means we build projects when we have the funds available for them,” Gerald Nicely wrote in his monthly column distributed by e-mail. “This system has served us well for the past several decades, but it’s clear we must consider alternate financing methods if we are to maintain a quality transportation system.”

Nicely noted that in 2007, the Tennessee General Assembly passed the Tennessee Tollway Act, which authorized the to develop two pilot tolling projects: one bridge and one roadway.

In 2009, TDOT will make recommendations to the legislature and the governor as to which pilot toll projects, if any, should be pursued, Nicely said.

The governor and the Tennessee General Assembly will have final approval authority.

“Let me stress it is not a magic solution to a long-term problem, but tolling can work in a limited number of cases and can be used to fill in financial gaps and get needed projects delivered much more quickly than under the traditional approach,” Nicely wrote.

Nicely said that within the past year, several local, state and regional groups had approached TDOT with possible toll projects.

“ We are now in the process of conducting feasibility studies on each project to determine whether it is viable as a tolled facility,” he wrote. “Projects under consideration include four bridges. They are  located in the Memphis area, northern Hamilton County, Benton/Houston Counties, and the Nashville area. Two roadway projects have been suggested, SR 374 in Montgomery County and the Knoxville Parkway.

“It’s important to remember that with any project, no existing facilities will be tolled; any toll facility must have a non-toll alternate route for motorists to take; and most importantly, any proposed toll facility must have strong local support,” Nicely wrote.