The Tennessee Department of Transportation says they will have a contract letting for construction on a portion of I-69 in northwest Tennessee will begin this year.
T-DOT Spokeswoman Nichole Lawrence said funding is secured for grade and drainage construction along a section of the planned route between US-51 and State Route 5 near Union City. But she said TDOT can’t make plans for the other sections since money from the Federal Highway Trust Fund is only secured through July.
“Tennessee is one of the few states that is a pay as you go state. We have zero debt,” Lawrence said. “So if we build it we’re paying for it. And when they’re not giving us any more than a two month extension or a 6 month extension, I think we’re in a two month extension now, there’s nothing that we can look to the future and plan for.”
The I-69 project is funded with 80 percent federal dollars and 20 percent state dollars. A section of the route between US-51 and State Route 21 is listed for construction in 2017, pending federal funding.