TDOT outlines $4.5B I‑24 choice lanes, statewide weigh‑in‑motion rollout and smart‑freight pilots

TDOT officials described several large freight‑oriented initiatives that the department is managing simultaneously: the I‑24 choice lanes P3 procurement, statewide weigh‑in‑motion sensor deployment and a series of smart freight pilots and autonomous vehicle demonstrations.

On the I‑24 choice lanes, TDOT staff said the final RFP was complete, proposals were received and commercial close is targeted for July. The agency estimated the program at roughly $4.5 billion and said it would be the largest project in TDOT history compared with the department’s typical annual construction budget for conventional projects. TDOT explained that the state remains the contracting entity and project sponsor while the concessionaire would handle financing, design, construction and operation of tolled choice lanes under a concession agreement; TDOT will retain responsibility for general purpose lane maintenance and will operate a commercial back office for customer service and enforcement processing.

Staff said the concession procurement is being treated as a program and that some segments could open earlier than others; the earliest feasible segment opening in the concession documents is June 2032 and full delivery is expected over many years. TDOT told the advisory group the winning P3 partner will be recommended to the Translation Modernization Board in August.

TDOT also described weigh‑in‑motion and permitting upgrades. Amy, TDOT’s TISM manager, said TDOT is installing 28 weigh‑in‑motion sites statewide; eight of those are configured for enforcement screening to help troopers at weigh stations. She said initial burn‑in is underway, that several sites are in a connectivity or cellular modem phase, and that a maintenance contract was planned to be let in June with work to support lifecycle replacements thereafter. Amy said TDOT currently issues about 3,000 oversized/overweight permits weekly, with roughly 70% automated; permit revenue from oversized/overweight activity is about $25 million annually.

TDOT explained how weigh‑in‑motion will work in practice: compliant trucks with compatible devices and ELDs could be screened on the mainline and bypass physical scale pulls; enforcement integrations will still allow officers to pull vehicles for safety or compliance issues and the technology will not eliminate all scale stops.

On technology pilots, TDOT highlighted a smart freight corridor pilot in West Tennessee and a Smith County pilot to test sensors (LIDAR, radar, cameras) for truck parking detection and communication. Dan Palmy noted demonstrations by autonomous middle‑mile providers (Gattick and Stack), with companies currently running vehicles with drivers in place; TDOT staff said they are coordinating with Tennessee Highway Patrol and emergency responders for scenario planning.

TDOT said these technology efforts are intended to improve safety, reduce congestion, inform infrastructure needs for truck parking and help leverage federal grants to scale successful pilots.