Are electronic signatures legally valid?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable in interstate commerce under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and by most states under UETA, provided the signing meets intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements.

Does Tennessee require notarization for plan adoption?

Plan adoption resolutions typically require a governing board signature but not a notarization; verify agency rules. For documents requiring notarization, Tennessee follows standard notary statutes and accepts electronic signatures under UETA.

What authentication level should be used?

Choose authentication proportional to risk: email link for routine approvals, SMS or knowledge-based checks for higher-assurance signer identity, and stronger multi-factor methods for legal or financial sign-offs.

How long should comment records be kept?

Retain public comment records through project close-out and for at least seven years to support auditability and grant documentation requirements unless a longer state retention schedule applies.

Can remote online notarization (RON) be used?

Many states permit RON; status varies. If a notarial act is required, confirm whether the notary and the technology meet your state's identity-proofing and audio–video retention requirements.

What happens if submission errors occur?

Minor errors typically prompt an opportunity to correct; major omissions can delay funding or review. Maintain version history and supply corrected records promptly to the receiving agency to minimize impacts.

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Tennessee Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan

Tennessee Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan

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What the Tennessee Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan Is

The Tennessee Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan is the state's strategic roadmap that inventories freight assets, analyzes flows across highways, rail, ports, and air cargo, and sets prioritized actions for investments and operations. Prepared with public, private, and regional stakeholders, the plan forecasts demand, identifies chokepoints, and recommends projects, policies, and performance measures to improve freight mobility, resilience, and economic competitiveness while aligning with federal and state planning requirements.

Why the Plan Matters for Agencies and Industry

The Tennessee Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan creates a common evidence base for prioritizing capital, operational, and policy decisions. It supports coordinated funding applications, clarifies regulatory obligations, and frames measurable performance targets for safety, reliability, and economic outcomes across modes.

Who Relies on the Plan and How They Use It

Agencies, freight operators, MPOs, and private logistics firms use the Tennessee Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan to coordinate projects and funding.

State agencies and MPOs planning capital projects and corridor studies.
Railroads and port authorities assessing capacity, intermodal connections, and investments.
Shippers and carriers evaluating routes, time-of-day movements, and infrastructure needs.

Representative Roles Involved

State DOT Planner

A planner at the Tennessee Department of Transportation who compiles freight asset inventories, coordinates with MPOs, and develops investment scenarios. Responsible for data collection, stakeholder outreach, prioritization scoring, and ensuring the plan aligns with federal planning and funding requirements.

Logistics Director

A private-sector logistics or carrier operations leader who reviews recommendations to align company routing, terminals, and investment decisions. Uses plan forecasts to justify facility upgrades, coordinate with public agencies, and support public–private partnership opportunities.

Core Sections That Make a Professional Freight Plan

A complete statewide freight plan blends data, analysis, stakeholder input, investment programming, and evaluation tools so agencies can move from diagnosis to implementation.

Executive Summary

Condensed overview of findings, priority corridors, major recommendations, and key performance indicators to inform policymakers and nontechnical audiences.

Freight Inventory

Comprehensive listing of terminals, yards, intermodal facilities, major shippers, and modal capacities to establish baseline conditions for planning and investment.

Demand Forecasting

Modeled freight volumes, commodity flows, and scenario testing that inform capacity needs and long-range infrastructure priorities across highways, rail, ports, and air freight.

Bottleneck Analysis

Identification and scoring of recurring congestion points, safety hot spots, and modal transfer inefficiencies with suggested operational or capital mitigations.

Investment Plan

Prioritized project lists, cost estimates, funding strategies, and near-term deliverables linked to measurable outcomes and possible funding sources.

Performance Measures

Defined KPIs, baseline values, and data collection approaches to monitor reliability, safety, and economic effectiveness after implementation.

Step-by-Step: Preparing and Submitting the Plan

Follow these sequential steps to assemble, review, and submit a complete and compliant Tennessee Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan.

01

Assemble data: Gather inventories, traffic counts, and stakeholder inputs.
02

Analyze flows: Model demand, identify bottlenecks, and evaluate scenarios.
03

Draft plan: Prepare narrative, maps, tables, and project lists for review.
04

Submit and adopt: Route to agencies, hold public comment, and record adoption.

Configuring an Electronic Review and Submission Workflow

Common configuration settings for digital review reduce processing time and preserve auditability when routing the plan to reviewers and stakeholders.

Field	Configuration
Authentication Method	Email link with optional SMS code for added verification
Template Fields	Pre-fill known agency data and use conditional sections
Signer Order	Sequential routing for approvals or parallel for contemporaneous reviewers
Retention Settings	Set document retention to meet federal and state records rules

Where to File and How Routing Typically Works

Plan submissions usually follow a multi-recipient review path so each agency and stakeholder can provide documented input before final adoption.

TDOT Submission: Primary electronic filing to the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
MPO Review: Metropolitan planning organizations review and provide regional comments.
Federal Review: FHWA and modal agencies review for federal compliance when applicable.
Public Comment: Publish draft and collect formal comments for the allotted period.

Digital Signing, Integrations, and File Formats to Consider

Pick an e-signature and document management platform that supports required integrations and preserves audit trails.

Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Procore, Box, and Google Workspace supported
File formats: PDF, DOCX, and Excel accepted for upload and export
Audit features: Timestamps, IP logs, and signer authentication methods

Typical Timeframes and Review Periods to Expect

Timelines vary by agency and project scope; use these typical durations to plan project milestones and public engagement windows.

Plan update frequency:

Every 4 years recommended for statewide freight strategies

Public comment window:

Typically 30–60 days depending on scope and agency policy

Interagency review:

Allow 4–8 weeks for coordinated technical review and edits

Final adoption:

Formal adoption may require governing board action and minutes

Grant alignment:

Match adoption timing with competitive grant application cycles

Key Milestones from Start to Adoption

Use a milestone view to track core phases from kickoff through implementation readiness.

01

Project Kickoff

Establish scope, partners, timeline, and data needs.

02

Data Collection

Compile inventories, counts, and stakeholder inputs.

03

Draft Release

Publish draft for technical and public comment.

04

Adoption & Implementation

Board adoption followed by programming and funding actions.

Common Preparation Pitfalls to Avoid

Incomplete modal inventories that omit private terminals or transload facilities, producing an inaccurate baseline for investment decisions.
Inconsistent freight forecasts across jurisdictions leading to misaligned project priorities and duplicated investments.
Insufficient stakeholder engagement that results in unaddressed operational constraints or key data gaps for carriers.
Failing to document data sources and assumptions, which complicates grant reviews and project justification.

Consequences of Inaccurate or Late Plan Submissions

Funding Delays: Missed or delayed grant eligibility

Project Disqualification: Ineligible projects in competitive programs

Legal Challenges: Potential for procedural appeals or litigation

Operational Risk: Persistent bottlenecks and safety exposures

Reputational Harm: Eroded stakeholder trust and agency credibility

Data Inconsistency: Invalidated performance measurement and evaluations

Real-World Examples of Digital Signing and Integration

These customer examples illustrate enterprise adoption and integration patterns that reduce turnaround and ensure compliance.

Tech Data (Bob Dutkowsky)

Tech Data integrated e-sign workflows to speed contract approvals

Integration with internal systems enabled automated routing
The result was faster internal and external customer service and improved speed to revenue through streamlined approvals and fewer manual steps.

Xerox (Kodi-Marie Evans)

Xerox used platform integration with ERP to manage signature flows

NetSuite integration automated document attachment and tracking
This provided the flexibility to get the right signatures in the right formats and reduced administrative overhead across distributed teams.

Frequently Asked Questions About Plan Preparation and Electronic Submission

Answers to common legal, technical, and process questions that arise when preparing and submitting the Tennessee Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan.

Need help? Contact support

Are electronic signatures legally valid?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable in interstate commerce under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and by most states under UETA, provided the signing meets intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements.
Does Tennessee require notarization for plan adoption?
Plan adoption resolutions typically require a governing board signature but not a notarization; verify agency rules. For documents requiring notarization, Tennessee follows standard notary statutes and accepts electronic signatures under UETA.
What authentication level should be used?
Choose authentication proportional to risk: email link for routine approvals, SMS or knowledge-based checks for higher-assurance signer identity, and stronger multi-factor methods for legal or financial sign-offs.
How long should comment records be kept?
Retain public comment records through project close-out and for at least seven years to support auditability and grant documentation requirements unless a longer state retention schedule applies.
Can remote online notarization (RON) be used?
Many states permit RON; status varies. If a notarial act is required, confirm whether the notary and the technology meet your state's identity-proofing and audio–video retention requirements.
What happens if submission errors occur?
Minor errors typically prompt an opportunity to correct; major omissions can delay funding or review. Maintain version history and supply corrected records promptly to the receiving agency to minimize impacts.

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