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State Briefs

Cycling

Bike TN adds 37 new routes

Cyclists can now experience 37 newly currated gravel cycling routes as part of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development (TDTD)’s  Bike Tennessee program. The routes bring the total number of routes to 89 and add more than 1,000 miles of diverse terrain. In addition to creating even more...

Cavnue trucks

TDOT to pilot autonomous freight trucks on West Tennesee I-40 corridor

A program piloting the use of autonomous tractor trailers and freight technology will soon be coming to Interstate 40 in West Tennessee.  

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced the selection of Cavnue, LLC as its private-sector partner for the Memphis/West Tennessee Smart...

Tennessee ranks 44 in annual health survey

Tennessee ranked 44 out of 50 states in the annual America’s Health Rankings, compiled yearly by the United Health Foundation. The state’s ranking  came from factors like its high premature death rate, low voter participation rate, the low number of mental healthcare providers per capita, and...

Tennessee January 2026

Tennessee January 2026 unemployment rate down slightly

Tennessee’s January 2026 unemployment rate was down one-tenth of a point from December and unchanged from January 2025. Tennessee's January 3.5% unemployment rate remained steady compared to the average unemployment rate in 2025 and is also well below the national January 2026 unemployment rate of 4...

April deadline approaches for new online ADA requirements

The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office is reminding local governments about new federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for websites and social media. 

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a final rule updating its regulations for Title II of the ADA. These updated ADA...

Bead program funding

State officials announce $202M in BEAD program funding

State officials have announced the approval of $202 million in state-administered federal funding to expand broadband access throughout Tennessee. The money allocated for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program will be matched by $200 million in funds by grantees to create $402...

Aftermath I-40 NDOT

State officials expect 2027 full reopening of I-40

The section of Tennessee's Interstate 40 washed out during Hurricane Helene is expected to fully reopened in fall 2027, according to TDOT officials. The storm damage along the Pigeon River Gorge impacted parts of the interstate on both the Tennessee and North Carolina side. The Tennessee side...

Tennessee ranked fourth most tax-friendly state

Tennessee has been named the fourth most tax‑friendly states in the country by ConsumerAffairs. The consumer review platform ranked all states across five major tax categories including income, sales, and property taxes with Tennessee earning the fourth spot for its lack of income tax and generally...

Music festival

State music surveys launched for Middle Tennessee regions

Two new music surveys have been launched by state agencies to better define music ecosystems in Tennessee’s Southern Middle and Upper Cumberland regions. The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), Tennessee Entertainment Commission, Tennessee Department of Tourist...

New TACIR reports address homelessness, juvenile detention

The Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) has published new reports focused on improvements that can be made to address homelessness and juvenile detention capacity. 

The TACIR report “Improving Tennessee's Continua of Care with Flexible Funding, Better Data, and...

January 2025 state revenues $27.2M above estimates

Tennessee revenues exceeded budgeted estimates for the month of January.  

Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson reported that total January tax revenues were $2.1 billion, $27.2 million more than the budgeted estimate and $87.7 million more than January 2025. The total tax...

Tennessee ranks as sixth most popular state for movers

Tennessee is the sixth most popular state for in-bound movers, according to a new survey by U.S. News and World Report. Tennessee’s low cost of living, mild weather, outdoor opportunities, affordable housing, and job growth were cited as making the state one of the most appealing. South Carolina...