Tennessee

Top Three Infrastructure Concerns:

  1. Roads
  2. Wastewater
  3. Schools

Key Infrastructure Facts

  • 21% of Tennessee’s bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
  • There are 148 high hazard dams in Tennessee. A high hazard dam is defined as a dam whose failure would cause a loss of life and significant property damage.
  • 6 of Tennessee’s 658 dams are in need of rehabilitation to meet applicable state dam safety standards.
  • Tennessee’s drinking water infrastructure needs an investment of $2.77 billion over the next 20 years.
  • Tennessee ranked 8th in the quantity of hazardous waste produced and 14th in the total number of hazardous waste producers.
  • Tennessee’s ports handled 48 million tons of waterborne traffic in 2005, ranking it 19th in the nation.
  • Tennessee reported an unmet need of $1.1 billion for its state public outdoor recreation facilities and parkland acquisition.
  • 17% of Tennessee’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition.
  • 43% of Tennesee’s major urban highways are congested.
  • Vehicle travel on Tennessee’s highways increased by 52 percent from 1990 to 2007.
  • Tennessee has $1.04 billion in wastewater infrastructure needs.

Sources

*Survey of the state’s ASCE members conducted in September 2008

 
Deficient Bridge Report, Federal Highway Administration, 2008.
National Inventory of Dams, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2008.
Drinking Water Needs Survey and Assessment, Environmental Protection Agency, 2003.
National Biennial RCRA Hazardous Waste Report, Environmental Protection Agency, 2007.
The U.S. Waterway System – Transportation Facts, Navigation Data Center, U.S Army Corps of Engineers, February 2007.
2007 Annual Report, Land and Water Conservation Fund State Assistance Program, National Park Service.
TRIP Fact Sheet, March 2009.
Clean Water Needs Survey, Environmental Protection Agency, 2004.

Other resources:
Tennessee Report Card