Legislation Sponsored by Sen. Walley to Boost Road Funding Passes Senate

On the final day of the 2025 legislative session, Senator Page Walley passed legislation to increase dedicated funding for Tennessee’s transportation infrastructure, marking a significant step toward addressing the state’s $30 billion backlog in road and bridge projects.

Senate Bill 144 redirects all sales tax revenue collected from the sale of new and used tires—an estimated $80 to $95 million annually—from the state’s General Fund to the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s (TDOT) Highway Fund. This sustainable source of funding will directly support critical road repairs and construction projects across the state.

“This legislation fulfills a promise I made to bring more help to our communities for roads,” said Walley. “Improving the quality of Tennessee’s roads is a top priority for my constituents and millions of other Tennesseans. I get ten times more calls about road conditions than any other issue.”

In addition to the recurring tire tax revenues, lawmakers also approved a historic $1 billion one-time investment in this year’s budget to jumpstart urgent transportation projects statewide.

“I’m grateful to my colleagues in the Senate and House, and to Governor Lee, for recognizing the need to act boldly,” Walley added. “This is just the start—but it’s a strong start toward building safer, more reliable roads for every Tennessean.”

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