Tennessee Needs at Least $61.9 Billion of Public Infrastructure Improvements
NASHVILLE—Tennessee needs at least $61.9 billion worth of public infrastructure improvements during the five-year period of July 2020 to June 2025—a $3.4 billion (5.7%) increase from the year before—according to a new report by the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR). Of the $3.4 billion increase in infrastructure needs reported in this year’s inventory, just over $2.0 billion (60.2%) is attributable to increases in the estimated cost for Transportation and Utilities, followed by $978 million (29.4%) for increases in the cost of Education. Infrastructure needs for Transportation and Utilities increased for the sixth year in a row. Increases in the cost of road projects ($1.5 billion) and an increase in new road projects ($1.1 billion) attributed to the overall increase of transportation infrastructure, though these costs were offset by $521 million in completed road projects. Additionally, Nashville reports needing high capacity bus rapid transit at a cost of $506 million.