NASHVILLE, Tenn. – For the eighth year in a row, Tennessee’s transportation system ranks as one of the best in the nation, according to CNBC’s 2017 study “America’s Top States for Business.”  According to the report, Tennessee is second in the category of “Transportation and Infrastructure”. Tennessee is the only state topping the list that has no transportation debt. Zero debt allows TDOT to dedicate 100% of its funds to infrastructure maintenance and improvements rather than interest payments. “This study recognizes TDOT’s commitment to provide a superior transportation network that serves our citizens and fosters economic growth,” TDOT Commissioner John Schroer said. “With this year’s passage of the IMPROVE Act, Tennessee can continue to have a high quality transportation system that addresses the needs of our communities.” The CNBC report scored all 50 states on 60 measures of competitiveness developed with input from a broad array of business and policy experts. States received points based on their rankings in each metric. Those metrics were then separated into ten broad categories, including the vitality of each state’s transportation system.