Governor Announces Road Project Plans for 2004-2005
Projects located in 44 counties across Tennessee

Nashville, Tenn.—Governor Phil Bredesen today released the 2004-2005 Transportation Improvement Program for the state of Tennessee.  The proposal contains 58 individual road construction projects located in 44 counties.

“This year’s transportation plan will focus on maintaining our roads, improving safety on our highways, and developing our transportation system to spur economic growth for our state,” said Governor Bredesen.

As was the case last year, the Department will again transfer $65.8 million to the general fund to assist in dealing with the state’s financial needs.

 “This new project listing contains funding for all phases of project development from location studies to construction,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely.  “We think this list represents a fair distribution, statewide, of the overall transportation budget.”

TDOT will have an estimated budget of $1.6 billion for the next fiscal year, more than $750 million of which is expected to come from the reauthorization of the federal transportation bill.

Some of the 58 projects include:

• Funding to initiate the environmental studies required to develop an improvement project to US 127 in Bledsoe County.
  
  
• The construction of a diamond type of interchange at O’Neil Road and I-40 in Cocke County to assist with future economic development in that area.
  
  
• The survey and design phase funding of improvements to State Route 112/US 41A (Clarksville Highway) in Davidson County from State Route 12 (Ashland City Highway) to State Route 155 (Briley Parkway).  It will be upgraded from two to five lanes.
  
  
• Construction will be funded for the widening of US 72 (State Route 86) from the Mississippi state line to North of Whitehaven-Capleville Road in Fayette and Shelby Counties from two to four lanes.
  
  
• In Obion County, right of way purchases will begin along US 45W (SR 5) fro Troy Station Road to Allie Campbell Road as plans get underway to widen the highway from two to four lanes.
  
  
• Funding to initiate the preliminary design phase and right of way purchases in Union County for improvements to State Route 33 from the Knox County line to south of Maynardville city limits.
  
  
• Statewide, TDOT will fund Advance Engineering Studies, Functional Design Studies, Aerial Surveys and Mapping Studies for various locations across the state to be able to proved basic information as to the feasibility of proceeding with projects.  These early studies may be performed as a result of routine department planning activities, requests by elected officials, or the general public.
  
  
• Wetland Mitigation for the state is included in the 2004-2005 Transportation Improvement Program.  The funds are allocated for TDOT to use in the development of wetland mitigation sites necessary to offset impacts resulting from transportation projects.
  
  
• Statewide “Type 2” Noise Walls.  These funds are allocated in order to develop a statewide pilot program to assess the feasibility of retrofitting existing facilities with noise walls.

 The full project list is attached.  To access the project list on-line go to www.tennessee.gov/tdot