Image Credit: SPUI / Public Domain
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
Two Democrat legislators are pushing for local governments to have more control over where the state builds “choice lanes” after officials created a Transportation Modernization Board to oversee the endeavor.
Governor Bill Lee created the board through his Transportation Modernization Act, which was approved by the legislature earlier this year.
Lawmakers provided a one-time amount of $3.3 billion to be used towards road projects throughout Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Transportation says there are over $26 billion worth of road projects that have been previously unfunded. The $3.3 billion allocation will be divided between each of TDOT’s four regions with another $300 million going to road projects of local governments.
The new law also gave the state authorization to contract with private corporations to oversee toll roads, or “choice roads” as the Lee administration refers to them. Drivers who use these roads are charged a fee.
The board, which consists of five members, has the power to authorize the building and managing of toll roads. The board includes former Oak Ridge Mayor David Bradshaw, Bristol developer Steve Johnson, Memphis attorney Mike Keeney, former statewide treasurer for Lee’s campaign, and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley.
House Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville-District 55) and State Senator Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville-District 20) are speaking out, asking that local governments be given a say in the process. They filed legislation this week that would allow those local officials to give final approval for the exact location of toll lanes.
“Perhaps one of the more shocking parts of Governor Bill Lee’s transportation privatization law was how he paved the way for the privatization of state roadways in all 95 counties with no local input,” stated Clemmons.
He went on to say that legislators had given “unelected political appointees” the right to make a decision as to whether a “private company can charge them a toll to drive on the most heavily used roadways in their town.”
Campbell also weighed in, stating that it was “troubling” that a handful of appointees were allowed to make the decisions regarding state roadways with no input from local officials.
Lee argues that his administration is not trying to create dedicated toll roads, which would mean drivers were forced to travel those roads and pay to do so. They say that the new “choice roads” will simply allow drivers to choose to travel in the express lane or continue on the free existing lane.
3 Responses
Are taxpayers in any way have liability for paying for the Toll Roads? If so, it’s a con game. NO taxpayer liability – if taxpayers have liability for any debt then TN should own the roads. Bill Lee’s the guy who gave the Titans $500 million.
Dimmercraps RIGHT here.
I’m looking for that little box on the “S**thouse door” that money had to be inserted before the door would open, to return.
Then we can truly say “They are taxing the S*** out of us”.
America people today are not the kind of people who can govern themselves.