Williamson County and Middle Tennessee are experiencing a rapid growth in population which in turn is driving this need. The obstacles that we face are an exponential growth in the cost of road construction, a flat growth in revenue from the tax on gasoline, the raiding of the highway funds from this and the previous Governor of Tennessee which approaches nearly 300 million dollars and a major loss of federal highway funding which is now approaching almost 250 million dollars over the past 4 years.

I have and will continue to lobby the Department of Transportation on the need for both expansion of roads, and the construction of new roads in our County. No construction is not the answer. I will also continue to organize all elected city and county officials to help make our requests and needs known to the Department of Transportation, and finally will encourage solutions such as letting the local governments build the roads and allowing the Department pay to the bonds on this construction.

Your input is greatly appreciated on this issue and together we will move the Department of Transportation forward on new roads in Williamson County.

Mass Transit

Mass Transit is a long term solution to soaring fuel cost. Tennessee has created a light rail line that runs from Nashville to Lebanon. Currently it is not economical, and is taxpayer funded to keep operational. In the very near future this type of transportation will be profitable. We in Tennessee must be in the forefront of encouraging not only light rail, but all forms of mass transit. In our current times, traveling to and from work is vital and Tennessee has an obligation to allow the free market to work and be prepared to create a climate where free enterprise will thrive so as to meet our transportation needs.