KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In 2017, state lawmakers passed the “IMPROVE Act,” raising the gas tax for the first time in almost 30 years. That money funds 962 road projects across the state. Those projects focus on fixing the state’s crumbling roads and bridges. The plan is set to be completed in 2027, but a recent report said otherwise.
That report from the Tennessee Department of Transportation shares that only about a third of those projects have been completed. For around 20% of those projects, construction hasn’t started.
Democratic Senator Heidi Campbell represents Nashville. She said that after eight years, the plan is nowhere near delivering what it promised. She said that as more time passes, projects aren’t getting done fast enough…