Tennessee Approves Toll Lanes as Part of Transportation Package

Despite strong historical opposition to toll lanes in many Southern states, a bill signed by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee last month that paves the way for managed lanes in the state. As Jared Brey explains in Governing, the $3.3 billion Transportation Modernization Act “changes the way roads can be constructed and built, increases user fees for electric vehicles, and authorizes public-private partnerships for the development of so-called ‘choice lanes.’”

Choice lanes, also known as managed lanes or express toll lanes, would introduce lanes with demand-dependent pricing on major roadways to relieve congestion. 

Proponents of choice lanes say they benefit all drivers, even those who choose not to use them, and could encourage more people to use buses (which will be allowed to use the choice lanes).

Critics say toll lanes don’t do enough to reduce congestion in non-tolled lanes, particularly when they are purpose-built, adding capacity and potentially inducing higher demand. Beth Osborne, director of Transportation for America, said, “I don’t believe the notion that by pulling people into those priced lanes you will alleviate congestion for anybody else — I haven’t seen any of that.” Osborne says she would rather see tolling on existing lanes, an idea recently proposed in the San Francisco Bay Area.