Gov. Lee, TDOT unveil $80 million recurring investment to boost infrastructure over next decade
In a historic announcement, the Tennessee Department of Transportation revealed that in addition to $1 billion in non-recurring dollars allocated for statewide infrastructure projects, $80 million in recurring general fund dollars will be invested to assist the advancements of various transportation projects.
Governor Bill Lee and Deputy Governor and Commissioner of Transportation Butch Eley stopped at TDOT's Region 4 facility in Jackson on Tuesday to share the news.
Lee, who described interstates as "tributaries of commerce," says the major infrastructure investment is a reflection of what Tennessee is going to look like, not just today, but in 25 years from now.
Facilitated by a reallocation of existing revenue from the Tire Sales Tax, the $80 million in recurring funds will preserve the state's infrastructure without raising taxes.
Lee noted during the discussion of the reallocation of state dollars that it is actually taxpayer dollars of which the state government "are stewards of."
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee speaks with press following an $80 million dollar recurring investment in various infrastructure projects in Jackson, Tenn., on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
"Tennesseans who put their hard-earned dollars into the tax rolls, they expect to have roads and bridges and highways that they can drive, that their commerce can roll on, that the companies that are coming in here to give them jobs, have a place to land on. So that's why we've changed priorities in the budget and invested more heavily in roads."
What projects are included in the investment?
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee poses with Jackson TDOT workers in Jackson, Tenn., on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
TDOT's updated 10-year plan encompasses 96 projects across the state, primarily focusing on maintenance of pavement and bridge repairs.
Eley says that the infrastructure projects are guided by the question, 'Is what we start going to finish?'
He reports that in 2024, 100% of infrastructure projects promised were delivered.
"We know we've got bridges that need help, so we're committed to doing that, committed to keeping them safe," Eley said.
"They're safe now, but our average bridge in Tennessee is 48 years old with a life span of around 75 [years]. Most of these bridges were built in the 60s and 70s, so a lot of these bridges are reaching the end of their life cycle, and we need to keep investing in them to make sure they're safe."
Deputy Governor and Commissioner of Transportation Butch Eley speaks in Jackson, Tenn., on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
According to TDOT, the following projects are included in the $80 million:
Pavement Preservation Program: 130 additional miles to be resurfaced annually
Bridge Preservation Program: 700,000 square feet of bridge deck treatment repaired annually
Mowing and Litter Program: implementing a mowing and litter schedule on interstates and state routes
Spot Safety Program: addressing transportation safety concerns, which Eley says include traffic lights and turning lanes
Rural Service Patrol: Help Trucks will expand beyond just urban areas to an additional 46 counties in rural areas
Blue Oval pushes I-69 project forward
The I-69 Project board photographed in Jackson, Tenn., on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
In West Tennessee, key projects are extending Interstate 69 from Dyersburg to Kentucky. With Dyersburg located just an hour north of Ford's Blue Oval City Megasite in Stanton, Lee says
Beyond that, fostering an environment for the ongoing economic growth, Tennessee of which is ranked among the fastest-growing in the nation, Lee says the prioritization of the I-69 project has been amplified in the wake of Blue Oval City.
"We do know that that's been a priority project, but certainly now, that there is forecast for significant economic activity in West Tennessee, that that project becomes all the more important."
Sarah Best is a reporter for The Jackson Sun. To support local journalism, subscribe to the Daily Briefing here.
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: TN Gov Bill Lee unveils recurring $80 million for TDOT 10 year plan
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