TPLOST is back. A new round of the sales tax — which provides an average of 2.5 million a month in funds — is slated to begin in 2023, if voters approve it next May. A $144.5 million proposed list of transportation-focused projects was presented to the Mayor and Commission.
Chair of the TSPLOST Advisory Committee, Lauren Blais.
“Most of our projects were submitted by people who live and work in Athens," Blais said.
The majority of the 36 projects are bicycle and pedestrian improvements, as well as large-scale investment in public transit. Areas off Lexington Road, Atlanta Highway and North Avenue receive high priority as the list stands. One project that didn’t make the cut is the proposed roundabout on West Broad and Hancock, but that doesn’t mean the project is dead. The commission discussed alternative sources of funding by leveraging federal and state dollars or using leftover TSPLOST funds.
There will be a final commission vote on the project list next February, and the public will have a final vote in May to approve the 1 percent sales tax. More information on TSPLOST 2023, including a timeline and digital map, can be found at accgov.com/10058/TSPLOST-2023
