Bill Requires American Ownership of Toll Roads/Bridges

February 20th, 2008

By Joe White, WPLN News Staff

A proposal to require American ownership of any company operating toll roads or bridges in Tennessee sailed through the Senate Transportation Committee today.

Knoxville Senator Tim Burchett says he not sure if toll roads are a good idea or not. But if they do happen, he’s concerned about what powers a private road operator might have over shipments to and from Oak Ridge, for instance.

“If there was a national security issue, and there was a foreign entity that did control the roads, could they stop us, passage on them, even though they’re on American soil. This just clarifies that they would be American-owned, at least 51 percent.”

Burchett said in today’s multi-national business environment, some foreign countries have already invested in American transportation infrastructure.

His bill now goes to the Senate floor.

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The bill is SB 2723 Burchett, Ketron/ Hb 2813 Harmon, Pinion. It requires persons or business entities operating a tollway facility to be American or majority owned by Americans. Burchett says it has been a potential issue elsewhere.

“There is some foreign ownership, and they’ve, I know the French and some other people that have been involved in it, and they’re not necessarily friendly to us.”

In Indiana a Spanish-Australian consortium bid $3.8 billion for a 75-year lease to operate the 157-mile, east-west toll road. The Indiana General Assembly approved the lease, which was effective in 2006.

The Indiana operators, Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte S.A., and Macquarie Infrastructure Group, won a similar lease for the privatization of the Chicago Skyway.

Chicago’s city administration is looking at the possibly of privatizing Midway Airport. That prompted commentary by Pat Guinane of the webpage “Illinois Issues Online.”

Guinane wrote:

“Emboldened by Indiana’s instant cash infusion, Illinois lawmakers are exploring what likely would be an even more lucrative long-term lease of the state’s 274-mile northern tollway system.”

For the complete column, click here. “Illinois Issues” is a magazine headquartered on the campus of the University of Illinois at Springfield.