Alexander Announces Dollars For Tennessee Transportation and Housing Projects
WASHINGTON – July 11th, 2008 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced that Fiscal Year 2009 Transportation, Treasury, and Housing & Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill, which was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee, includes funding for several Tennessee transportation and economic development initiatives.
“This legislation funds important initiatives to improve transportation and economic development in Tennessee,” Alexander said. “As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to work to secure dollars that will create jobs, upgrade our state’s roadways and enhance the quality of life in our communities.”
Tennessee funding in the bill includes:
• $1.6 million for the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center for expansion and improvements to the Heritage Center and to provide bus access to Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• $1.5 million for US Route 64 for construction and reconstruction of the US64/SR 15 four-lane corridor being developed to connect the Memphis region to I-24 west of Chattanooga, designated as a strategic regional corridor in the state’s long-range transportation plan.
• $1 million for State Route 317 to provide a connection between the new Enterprise South Industrial Park interchange on I-75 and Collegedale in Hamilton County.
• $1 million for East Tennessee Human Resources Agency to replace wheelchair accessible vehicles which provide transportation to the elderly and disabled in a 16 county area to medical and other appointments.
• $800,000 for the Memphis Bioworks Foundation for construction of the UT-Baptist Research Park in the downtown Memphis Medical District.
• $750,000 for the Nashville International Airport for the reconstruction and improvements of Runway 2L-20R.
• $500,000 for Interstate 69. This funding is in addition to the more than $113 million secured previously to fund construction of Interstate 69 within the State of Tennessee.
The legislation must now be considered and approved by the full United States Senate.
