Highways, Roads and Bridges

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Highways and Bridges Toll Authority Act

This bill allows Tennessee's Department of Transportation to set tolls on certain highways and bridges near state borders if new lanes are added or HOV lanes are changed to high occupancy user fee lanes after July 1, 2026.

What This Bill Does

• Expands the authority for setting tolls on existing transportation facilities that are part of Tennessee's highway system or interstate highways at the border with another state.
• Allows tolls to be set if new vehicle travel lanes are added after July 1, 2026.
• Permits converting HOV lanes into high occupancy user fee lanes and setting tolls on these lanes after July 1, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

• Tennessee Department of Transportation
• Drivers using highways and bridges near state borders

Terms To Know

HOV lane

A special lane on a highway that is reserved for vehicles with multiple passengers to reduce traffic congestion.

High occupancy user fee lane (HOUF lane)

A toll lane where drivers pay fees based on the number of occupants in their vehicle, often used as an alternative to HOV lanes.

Limits and Unknowns

• The exact fiscal impact cannot be determined due to multiple unknown factors.
• This act takes effect July 1, 2026.

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 2288
By Lamar

HOUSE BILL 2230
By Dixie
HB2230
012594
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 12;
Title 54 and Title 55, relative to transportation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 54-3-103(21), is amended by
deleting "fee or charge" and substituting instead "fee or charge, including a toll,".
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 54-3-104(b), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
(3) Existing transportation facilities that are part of the state highway system or
interstate and national defense highway system, located at the border of this state with
another state, and where, on or after July 1, 2026:
(A) One (1) or more new vehicle travel lanes are added to the facility; or
(B) An HOV lane on the facility is converted to a high occupancy user fee
lane.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.