Tennessee Inaugural Toll Roads, Choice Lanes, in the Works

Tennessee officials are planning the state’s inaugural toll roads, Choice Lanes!

The proposed I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes project would construct new, optional Choice Lanes on I-24 between Nashville and Murfreesboro. Choice Lanes are price-managed lanes that use pricing to proactively manage demand and provide travel-time reliability. The proposed Choice Lanes would allow motorists to maintain consistent travel speeds even when the adjacent existing lanes are congested.

By adding capacity to this heavily traveled roadway, operations are expected to improve in this major growth area. Choice Lanes would provide another option for motorists to bypass congestion, allowing motorists to maintain consistent travel times. The Choice Lanes would be new, optional lanes designed, built, financed, operated and maintained by a private-sector partner through a Public-Private Partnership (P3), with initial funding provided by the Transportation Modernization Act.

Current Status: Following initial congestion studies to determine the financial viability of Choice Lanes in the Nashville region, TDOT has commissioned Traffic and Revenue studies and is conversing with private-sector partners to further investigate the feasibility of Choice Lanes. Environmental studies are underway.

Funding Type: Transportation Modernization Act funds have been allocated for a partial public contribution for the proposed project, which would be delivered through a Public-Private Partnership (P3), where the private sector partner would design, build, finance, operate and maintain the proposed project.

History and Background

Historic growth in Tennessee has increased traffic levels in urban areas. The resulting chronic congestion, which spans key corridors, stresses the urgency to modernize infrastructure to meet current and future growth. TDOT’s Congestion Studies estimate that $30 billion (2022) is needed to address both urban and rural congestion in Tennessee. Choice Lanes are an emerging urban congestion solution now possible in Tennessee with the authorization of P3s.

The additional state funding provided through the Transportation Modernization Act expands TDOT’s opportunities for federal grants and accelerates urban congestion projects, including Choice Lanes. TDOT’s 10-Year Project Plan identified the I-24 Southeast corridor between I-40 in Nashville and I-840 in Murfreesboro as a priority urban congestion relief project to deliver as Tennessee’s first Choice Lanes project, and the Transportation Modernization Board approved the proposed Project to be added to TDOT’s 3-Year Plan and advance environmental studies on February 26, 2024. The proposed Choice Lanes on I-24 Southeast are part of a larger program of proposed Choice Lanes projects in some of the most congested areas of Tennessee.

Utilizing a P3 for Choice Lanes is a powerful approach to addressing urban-area congestion and preserving critical funds to address congestion-related challenges in rural areas, like widening interstates to six lanes. Tennessee’s Choice Lanes would be new lanes—funded in partnership with the private sector— added to congested urban highways that allow motorists an option of paying a voluntary user fee in exchange for faster, more reliable travel speeds and trip times.

Public Involvement and Engagement

In accordance with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) regulations and under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), an environmental document is required that identifies the significance of a project’s environmental impact.

Environmental studies are underway, and the project team will communicate and coordinate with the public and stakeholders often. Public information meetings will take place in August 2024, where the public can provide official comments about the project and its potential impacts.

Upcoming Public Meetings

• Wednesday, August 14, 5 p.m.
• Virtual Public Information Meeting
• TDOT’s Website
• Wednesday, August 21, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Smyrna Event Center
• 100 Sam Ridley Parkway E, Smyrna, TN 37167
• Wednesday, August 28, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• The Fairgrounds Nashville
• 401 Wingrove Street, Nashville, TN 37203
• Thursday, August 29, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Southeast Community Center

• 5260 Hickory Hollow Pkwy #202, Antioch, TN 37013

TDOT held an introduction live stream for stakeholders on March 21, 2024.