Tennessee Lawmaker Requests Comptroller Investigation into $9.2 Billion I-24 Toll Lane Deal After Attorney General Declines
State Representative John Ray Clemmons has formally requested that Tennessee Comptroller Jason E. Mumpower initiate an investigation into the procurement process for the $9.2 billion I-24 'Choice Lanes' contract. This request follows the Tennessee Attorney General's Office declining to investigate, citing a lack of general investigative authority for such matters. Clemmons' concerns stem from public reports questioning financial relationships between the winning companies, particularly Ferrovial Cintra which leads the Drive-TN group, and former officials within Governor Bill Lee's administration. The contract involves a 50-year lease for the private company to build and operate the toll lanes. Clemmons highlighted the movement of former TDOT Chief of Staff Steve Townsend to Ferrovial Cintra in 2025, and former Deputy Governor Butch Eley's return to the infrastructure industry in 2025, shortly before the I-24 partnership with Drive-TN was announced. These transitions raise questions about potential conflict...
