Highways, Roads and Bridges

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Toll Authority for Transportation Facilities

This bill allows the Tennessee Department of Transportation to set tolls on certain highways and bridges at 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 transportation facilities that connect Tennessee with other states.
• Requires these facilities to be part of the state highway system or interstate and national defense highway system.
• Allows tolls if new lanes are added after July 1, 2026.
• Permits converting HOV lanes into high occupancy user fee lanes for setting tolls.

Who It Names or Affects

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

Terms To Know

HOV lane

A lane on a highway that is reserved for vehicles with two or more passengers to reduce traffic congestion.

High Occupancy User Fee Lane (HOUF)

A special lane where drivers can pay a fee to use the lane, even if they do not have multiple passengers.

Limits and Unknowns

• The exact fiscal impact of setting tolls cannot be determined due to various factors.
• This bill did not pass in the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee.

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 2230
By Dixie

SENATE BILL 2288
By Lamar
SB2288
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.