(The Center Square) – Tennessee residents drive more and the state has the second-lowest rate of state and local funding per capita for its roads, according to a new policy brief from ThinkTennessee.
In its “Changing Lanes” brief, ThinkTennessee shows that Tennessee has the eighth-most vehicle miles traveled per capita in the country and that number is growing, up 17% since 2005.
“Tennessee’s population is increasing at a rapid rate, but our state’s current transportation system is struggling to keep up with our growth and does not provide enough affordable transportation options for Tennesseans,” said Erin Hafkenschiel, president of ThinkTennessee. “We hope that the data provided in this report will empower our transportation decision makers to reimagine the role of transit in Tennessee, which includes rethinking the way we fund projects as well as prioritizing efficient multimodal options to improve mobility and quality of life.”
While Tennessee ranks in the top 10 in federal road funding, it lags behind other states in the bottom 10 of transit and multimodal federal funding and ranking 39th in transit performance.
Tennessee has few transit options outside of driving with traffic fatalities rising 29.9% from 2011 to 2022 while pedestrians and cyclists saw traffic fatalities increase by 115.9% over the same period.
The policy brief also found Tennessee ranks 43rd in transportation costs relative to household income for moderate-income families with owning and operating a car costing an average of $13,974 per year, which the policy brief attributes to funding decisions and underinvestment in creating a variety of transportation options.
“Because Tennessee invests less than other states in transit, walking, and biking infrastructure, Tennessee has one of the highest drive-alone commute rates – 11th highest in the nation – while ranking 42nd for transit commuting, 48th for bike commuting, and 49th for commuting on foot,” the paper points out.
Among the policy suggestions from the paper are prioritizing transportation that moves more people, including strategies to maximize transportation capacity, look into a mileage-based road user fee as a funding source and prioritizing safety for all road users.
