Section 1680-04-02-.03 - REQUESTING ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS(1) Public record requests, except those requests generated by the news media, should generally be made, or referred, to the Public Records Request Coordinator, or his or her designee, in order to ensure that public records requests are routed to the appropriate records custodian and fulfilled in a timely manner. A simple request to inspect or duplicate a readily available public record may be made to, and handled by, the applicable records custodian.(2) The designated PRRC for TDOT is the General Counsel; provided, however, that responsibilities of the PRRC under this rule may be delegated to one or more employees under the supervision of the PRRC. The PRRC may be contacted at: Office of General Counsel
Tennessee Department of Transportation
3rd Floor, James K. Polk Building
505 Deaderick Street
Nashville, Tennessee 37243
Telephone: (615) 741-2941
Email: TDOT.RecordsRequest@tn.gov
(3) All news media requests for information and documents shall be directed to TDOT's Community Relations Division, which may be contacted at: Community Relations Division
Tennessee Department of Transportation
7th Floor, James K. Polk Building
505 Deaderick Street
Nashville, Tennessee 37243
Telephone: (615) 741-7736
(4) Requests for inspection of public records may be made orally or in writing but shall not be required to be made in writing. Requestors may use the Public Records Request Form provided in the Appendix or any other written form of communication such as mail or email. There shall be no charge for inspection of public records.(5) Requests for copies, or requests for inspection and copies, of public records shall be made in writing. Requestors may use the Public Records Request Form provided in the Appendix or any other written form of communication such as mail or electronic mail. There shall be a charge for producing copies of public records, in accordance with Rule 1680-04-02-.07.(6) Proof of Tennessee citizenship may be required as a condition to inspect or receive copies of public records. Any questions regarding proof of Tennessee citizenship should be directed to the Public Records Request Coordinator.(7) Public Records and Information Available on TDOT's Internet Website. (b) In addition, TDOT makes a wide variety of TDOT forms, documents, publications, and resources available to the public via TDOT's internet website at https://www.tn.gov/tdot, and particularly through the Index of Services at https://www.tn.gov/tdot/find-local-information111.html. Examples of files that are available online include, without limitation, TDOT's Long Range Transportation Plan, Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), and current Three-Year Comprehensive Multimodal Program (3-Year Plan); information on current transportation projects (by Region); weekly lane closure information; current traffic conditions (TDOT SmartWay); information regarding project funding programs and other transportation programs administered by TDOT; state, county, and city maps; roadway inventory data; bridge inventory and appraisal reports; standard roadway and structures drawings; various procedural manuals and guidelines; standard specifications for road and bridge construction; construction contract and prequalification forms; Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) information; construction contract bid letting information; prequalification procedures and current advertisements for consultant services; and information on how to obtain various types of permits from TDOT, including permits for driveways, outdoor advertising, overweight/overdimensional vehicle movements, and utility installations.(c) Individual TDOT divisions may have their own online written forms for requesting copies of particular types of records for which they are the records custodian.(d) To the extent that such online files are accessible to members of the public who have no business or official relationship with TDOT, the files are made available for informational purposes only. TDOT makes no warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding these files and specifically makes no warranty that any of these files are fit for any other use or particular purpose. The user of such files assumes all risk and liability for any losses, damages, claims or expenses resulting from the use or possession of any files provided by TDOT.(e) Further, by making records available for inspection online, TDOT does not waive any restrictions on the use of such records that may be applicable under law, including without limitation 23 U.S.C. § 409, which prohibits certain types of federal-aid safety project related records from being subject to discovery or admitted into evidence in any civil action for damages.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1680-04-02-.03
Original rule filed February 26, 2007; effective May 12, 2007. Repeal filed July 17, 2017; effective October 15, 2017. New rules filed November 6, 2018; effective 2/4/2019.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-3-2303(2), 10-7-503, 10-7-503(g), and 10-7-506.