Voters in Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Taliaferro, Warren, Washington and Wilkes counties delivered a promising sign for Georgia’s future and economic resilience through the overwhelming approval to renew the 2012 Regional Transportation Investment Act (TIA) for the Central Savannah Area Regional Commission. The regional TIA has allowed these 13 counties to invest over $500 million in local transportation infrastructure over the last eight years. Enacted by the General Assembly in 2010 and passed in 46 counties across Georgia just two years later, the TIA program has been resoundingly successful and has completed 52 projects to date, with 12 projects under construction. From road widenings on SR 388 to Augusta public transportation operational funding, the TIA has enabled these Georgia communities to significantly propel local economic development efforts forward. Perhaps that’s why voters gave a resounding thumbs-up to extending the program for another 10 years. By a margin of nearly 2-1, voters in those counties chose to invest another $555 million in local roads, bridges, intersections, streetscapes, airports, emergency vehicles, sidewalks, and freight and logistics needs.
Credit: contributed
