Tennessee needs $68.2 billion for infrastructure
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Tennessee's list of infrastructure projects needed to support transportation, education and public safety have continued to soar, according to a new report.
- The price tag for all of the state's needs has grown to more than $68.2 billion, according to the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations.
- That's an increase of more than $5 billion over last year's total.
Why it matters: The jump was driven by an uptick in education and health and safety projects, per the report.
- The education tally reflects the dire infrastructure needs school leaders described to lawmakers last fall.
By the numbers: Education needs sit at $16.7 billion, up by nearly $2 billion since last year's analysis. Those projects are spread across the K-12 and higher education systems.
- Local officials reported that about $454 million of the increase was tied to the need for new public schools and additions.
- Renovations to existing K-12 facilities accounted for another $220 million in increased need.
The big picture: Transportation needs remain the top draw for state funds, accounting for $34.7 billion of Tennessee's overall infrastructure total, which is down slightly since last year's analysis.
- The slowdown in transportation needs is largely due to completed long-term projects and cost decreases.
Of note: Officials said this year's newly approved TACIR report, which considers needs from 2022-2027, does not yet reflect last year's Transportation Modernization Act, which put billions toward road projects and cleared the way for optional toll lanes that are meant to defray urban maintenance costs.
Zoom in: Davidson County was responsible for nearly $13.3 billion of the state's infrastructure total, led by transportation, education, and health and safety needs.
- Some of the Nashville projects mentioned in the report included a $75 million plan to build four new local fire stations and a water project dealing with river safety and sewer upgrades.
Between the lines: More than two-thirds of projects in the TACIR report aren't funded, although projects typically get more funding as they move through early phases of development.