NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Optional toll lanes may be coming to Tennessee’s highways.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Commissioner Butch Eley said the change could help shoulder funding for the state’s growing infrastructure needs.

TDOT estimates the state will need roughly $30 billion over the next 10 to 15 years to build and maintain the state’s highways. But the gas tax intended to fund those needs only brings in about $500 million a year.

The idea is for a private company to build and finance new toll lanes adjacent to existing lanes. Drivers can pay a fee to drive those express lanes or use the general lanes.

That company keeps a portion of the toll revenue and the state uses the money saved on building the additional lanes to fund projects elsewhere.

Public Private Partnerships on state highways like this project are currently prohibited by Tennessee law.

State legislators would need to vote to change the law before the project could move forward. TDOT plans to file legislation in January to get the ball rolling.

Another way TDOT is proposing to make up for revenue needs is through the registration of electric vehicles.

It currently costs about $100 a year to register electric cars. TDOT is proposing raising that to about $300 a year to make up for the money those drivers are not generating through the gas tax.

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