TDOT Sees Funding Complications After Government Shutdown

Tennessee’s Department of Transportation is dealing with funding complications as a result of the month-long shutdown.

TDOT gets part of its funding and permits from agencies like the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency, which were partially closed during the shutdown. Because the funding for several construction projects wasn’t secured, TDOT postponed the approval process for $106.7 million worth of contracts. 

TDOT spokeswoman BJ Doughty says this means the department is pushing back approval for projects from February to March, but they will still likely stay on track — unless there’s another delay in funding with another shutdown, for example.

“It’s not going to have a big impact on delivering those projects on the same schedule we had hoped to,”

 Doughty said. “If we get much past March, we could run into the issue of losing the construction season.”

Projects that haven’t been approved yet due to the lapse in federal funding include reconstrcution on Clarksville Highway and Briley Parkway in Davidson County, and safety improvements on Port Royal Road in Maury County. 

Fentress, Gibson, Obion and Rhea counties also have projects that are waiting for approval.