With more than a third of all U.S. bridges requiring replacement or major repair work, states are moving to fill their funding needs for transportation infrastructure amid strained budgets. But because some states do not have toll revenue to tap into for bridge repairs, and with gas tax revenue decreasing due to fewer people driving during COVID-19 shutdown orders, state and local budgets are getting stretched even thinner, experts said recently. “If the feds do not come through this year, then states will have to come up with other sources of income in order to fund budgets for bridges,” Tennessee State Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster) told Transportation Today.
$40 Million TDOT Bridge and Overpass Projects on Alcoa Highway on Track to Start in June | Maryville Daily Times
"The problem is particularly acute in states that rely heavily on sales and income taxes, which it turns out, is most states," Rafool wrote in a May fiscal brief. Though each state is different, nearly 70% of state general fund revenues come from taxes on personal income and general sales. With businesses shuttered and all but essential economic activity put on hold, revenues have evaporated. Corporate taxes have fallen as companies go out of business or temporarily close their doors as have fees, from tolls or a gas tax. Georgia saw a $100 million decline in sales tax, fuel tax and other tax revenue over the past year. Pennsylvania was down $760 million and Tennessee reported a revenue loss of $120 million.
Previously set to cost $39,296,633, Nagi said the project's price tag has increased by $1.5 million to $40,822,867 — an amount not posted on TDOT's ...
In 2019, Tennessee Riverkeeper launched a micro plastics campaign to remove plastic and other litter from waterways, while educating the public ...
'Bucket List' Pontoon Ride to pPromote Tennessee River Tourism | Paducha Sun
Bob Cherry is no stranger to long boat rides, having navigated thousands of miles of inland waterways over the years. But when the retired captain puts in at Knoxville, Tennessee, next weekend with his buddies Sherman Jones and Sterling Edwards to boat the 652 miles of the Tennessee River ending in Paducah, the trip will be special. Cherry has made the trip from Knoxville to Paducah before, but on bigger vessels. This time, he said, it’s just as much an encouragement for river tourism as it is for his own enjoyment. “A lot of people think you’ve got to have a great big boat to do it,” Cherry said, calling a pontoon “the average man’s boat... Any man in this area could get hold of a pontoon boat and make this trip.” Cherry and company plan to boat between 50 and 100 miles each day, depending on weather conditions, stopping off in various communities along the river to eat or shop, and letting tourism crews join the party in certain stretches.
