NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Gov. Bill Lee announced the "Build with Us Tour" on Wednesday.
The tour will "celebrate" the landmark Transportation Modernization Act and highlight key infrastructure priorities across rural and urban Tennessee, according to a release from Lee's office.
The Transportation Modernization Act "creates a new transportation strategy and will invest an additional $3.3 billion to accommodate Tennessee’s record growth, address traffic congestion and meet transportation needs across rural and urban communities," the release said.
Lee's travel includes stops in all three Grand Divisions throughout June and July, beginning in Fentress County on Thursday, June 1.
“As Tennessee continues to experience record growth, the Transportation Modernization Act will ensure our roads keep up with the pace,” Lee said. “This summer, I look forward to seeing how our new transportation strategy will prepare rural and urban Tennessee for continued economic growth and opportunity, without new taxes or debt, and I thank the legislature for its partnership to ensure our state’s success.”
The act grants TDOT the resources needed to solve the state's current and future mobility challenges, including seeking the use of public-private partnerships to preserve state funds for rural infrastructure priorities, exploring Choice Lanes and expanding the "alternative delivery model" to save taxpayer dollars and deliver road projects more efficiently, according to the release.
“Tennessee is at a critical juncture when it comes to mobility, and the Transportation Modernization Act will meet the infrastructure needs of our growing state, without incurring new debt or raising taxes,” TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley said. “I commend the Governor and the General Assembly for their work to prepare our state’s rural and urban communities for continued prosperity.”