State report: TN needs ‘at least’ $62.9B worth of public infrastructure improvements

Tennessee needs at least $62.9 billion worth of public infrastructure improvements during the five-year period of July 2021 to June 2026—a $1.2 billion (2.0%) increase from the year before— this according to a new report by the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations Infrastructure needs for Transportation and Utilities increased for the seventh year in a row ($750 million) and continues to be the largest category in the inventory, with $35.2 billion in total needs Increases in the cost of existing road projects ($1.1 billion) and the cost of new road projects ($405 million) was offset by $752 million in completed road projects.

The $669 million increase in needed improvements for Health, Safety, and Welfare infrastructure also contributed to the overall increase in the total estimated cost of the inventory. Most of this increase is from the $305 million rise in needed improvements for water and wastewater, which included $373 million in new projects alone. Total estimated costs for current infrastructure needs fall into six general categories:

Transportation and Utilities: $35.2 billion

Education: $14.8 billion

Health, Safety, and Welfare: $8.9 billion

Recreation and Culture: $2.3 billion

General Government: $1.3 billion

Economic Development: $246 million

Needs also increased for General Government ($83 million) and Recreation and Culture ($15 million).

Reported needs decreased in two categories:
Education ($259 million) and Economic Development ($37 million).

Information about funding for public infrastructure needs reported by officials indicates that 67.8% of the funds required to meet those needs was not available at the time the inventory was conducted—