On May 14, Congressman Marsha Blackburn (TN-7), responding to a solicitation to all Members of Congress, submitted her list of high-priority transportation projects to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The intent of the solicitation was for Members to identify those transportation projects in their districts that should receive funding from the Highway Trust Fund.
The potential funding for these projects does not come from the Federal Treasury. Instead, the funds are collected from gas tax proceeds paid by Tennessee consumers dedicated only for the purpose of infrastructure development. As such, High Priority Projects do not increase the federal debt, nor do they create a future obligation for Tennessee Taxpayers.
Failure to identify worthy projects in the 7th District would abdicate infrastructure development decisions to bureaucrats who may well spend the funds in ways that don’t meet our district’s needs. Congressman Blackburn, after consulting extensively with local officials and the Tennessee Department of Transportation, believes that her request list better meets 7th District needs than any bureaucratic effort could.
Congressman Blackburn continues to have serious reservations about the congressional earmarking process. As the transportation projects she has requested come from the Highway Trust Fund rather than the federal treasury; and forestall the possibility that 7th District revenue could be spent in another state or in a manner inconsistent with the wishes of Tennesseans.
7th District High Priority Projects by County
Hardeman County
Reconstruction and widening of State Route 15 from Bolivar to near Hornsby Loop Road in Hardeman County, Tennessee
Hardin County
Reconstruction and widening of State Route 15 from Firetower Road to Bigbee Branch in Hardin County, Tennessee
Henderson County
Reconstruction and widening of State Route 20 from East of Lone Elm Road to the Decatur County Line in Henderson County, Tennessee
Montgomery County
Reconstruction and widening of State Route 374 from South of Dunbar Cave Road to West of Stokes Road in Montgomery County, Tennessee
Perry County
Preliminary engineering for widening and reconstruction of State Route 13 beginning at the Humphrey’s and Perry County line and extending to US Highway 64 in Wayne County.
Shelby/ Fayette County
Construction on Interstate Route 269 from the Mississippi state line to State Route 385 in Fayette and Shelby Counties, Tennessee
Shelby County
Reconstruction and widening of State Route 14, from Singleton Pkwy (SR-204) to the Tipton County line in Shelby County, Tennessee
Right-of-way acquisition/utility adjustment, reconstruction and widening on Interstate 40 from State Route 177 (Germantown Road) to State Route 205 (Collierville-Arlington Road) in Shelby County, Tennessee
Wayne County
Reconstruction and widening of State Route 15, from Mill Springs Branch to Waynesboro Bypass, in Wayne County, Tennessee
Williamson County
Acquire right-of-way for the widening of US 31 (Franklin Road) from State Route 253 (Concord Road) to State Route 441 (Moores Lane) in Brentwood, Tennessee
Construction of SR-397 (Mack Hatcher Parkway West), from State Route 106 (US-431) North of Franklin, in Williamson County, Tennessee
Reconstruction and widening of Interstate 65, from State route 840 to North of State Route 96, including the reconstruction of the Goose Creek Interchange, in Williamson County, Tennessee
