Pierce County has spent over $22 million in road improvements
Pierce County has made $22.8 million in road improvements through the Transportation Investment Act (TIA) one cent transportation sales tax, with another $21.1 million in the works.
“(TIA) has been a big help in allowing us to make improvements to our local roads,” said County Chairman Neal Bennett. “We have finished all but two of the current TIA projects and we will move to the second batch next year.”
Local projects that have been completed or are scheduled in Pierce County include intersection improvements at U.S. Highway 84, County Farm Road and New School Road, road alignment, drainage and resurfacing of Golf Course Road and widening and resurfacing Ware Street, St. Johns Church Road, Horseshoe Road and Fletcher Road.
City Of Blackshear projects include resurfacing of roads in the Session Hill community including Session Hill Lane, Fulton Street, Cherry Street, Marshall Drive, Fullmore Street, Willows Lane, Allen Avenue, Aurelia Street, Simpson Street, Watson Street, Yeomans Street, Sycamore Street, Eva Street, Burroughs Street, Leo Marshall Drive, Oden Street, Hall Street, Hendry Street, Lee Street, Oak Street and Thomas Street.
City of Patterson resurfacing projects include Drawdy Road, Walkerville Road, Thomas Street, Orange Street, Pear Avenue, Peach Avenue, Porter Street, Second Avenue, Gardner Street, Lewis Street, Oates Street, Tyre Bridge Road, Wilkerson Avenue, Lucas Street, Smiley Street, Walnut Way, Hickory Street, Dixon Street, Church Street, Wylly Street, Ollie Street, Railroad Avenue West, O’Quinn Street, Wildwood Street, Nellie Street, Railroad Ave East, Dallas Street, Hyers Street, Martin Street, Williams Street, Echols Street, Jessica Lane, Industrial Boulevard, Polly Street, David Street, Claire Street, Dereck Lane, Reese Street and James Street.
Voters in the Southern Georgia Region, including Pierce County, approved the current regional one cent sales tax in 2018. TIA 2 was approved by the voters in the 18 county area last May. The TIA was first placed on the ballot in 2012, but failed to pass that year.
Each region compiles a list of projects to be completed with the sales tax. The sales tax has a 10-year term. Areas are organized into districts corresponding to their regional commissions through the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. In addition to the Southern Region of Georgia, the TIA sales tax is also in effect for Heart of Georgia, Central, Savannah River Area and River Valley.
For Southern Georgia’s current term (2018 – 2026, now called TIA 1), $446.7 million has been collected to date through the penny sales tax, with 75%, or $335 million, allocated to the 151 infrastructure improvement projects on the region’s investment list and 25%, or $111.7 million, divided up among the region’s counties to be used as discretionary funds for additional transportation projects.
TIA administrators and local officials believe Southern Georgia will reach its revenue collections total in 2026, more than two years earlier than expected. When that happens, the region will start its second decade of involvement, to be called TIA 2, which will tackle an additional list of 209 transportation projects. The majority of projects on this list involve resurfacing roadways, but some counties will also see projects involving the conversion of dirt roads to paved, new sidewalks and improvements at airports.
TIA 2 projects include 23 projects totaling $21.1 million.
Local projects to be included in the second phase of the TSPLOST include Hacklebarney Road, Old River Road, Tyre Bridge Road, Sunset Road, Old Alma Road, Beulah Church Road, Youmans Road, Dean Still Road, Mershon Road, Trudie Road, Southside Drive, Walkerville Road, Yellow Bluff Road, Ben Couch Road, Ellis Lane, Lester Road and Sage Brush Road.
Blackshear projects include a realignment of Altman Street and paving of Mary Street, Purdom Drive, Alice Street, Old Shiloh Road, Owen Street, Bud Street, Jackson Street, Hobbs Street, Cameron Drive, Holly Street and Dell Street in batch one and Carter Avenue, Gilmore Street, Chapman Street, Moody Street, Taylor Circle, Elizabeth Street, Williams Street, Pinehurst Drive, Grove Hill Avenue and Azalea Street in batch two.
City of Offerman projects include Railroad Lane and Offerman Loop.
City of Patterson projects include Hyers Street, Kitty Lane, Plum Avenue and Pear Avenue.
When asked how TIA is able to keep costs consistent with projections despite economic challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and rising costs of construction materials, equipment and labor, Georgia State TIA Administrator Kenneth Franks explained that the key involves transparency and collaboration.
“TIA staff work in conjunction with each region as the local officials build their project investment lists. When we calculate the anticipated budget, a percentage of the pot is held back to account for inflation as we deliver the projects,” said Franks. “Originally, we counted on dealing with three percent inflation annually and it can sometimes be a struggle as we work with the counties and cities to keep costs consistent with our plans. Together, we’ve been able to actively manage all aspects and keep project delivery on pace with the forecasts.”
The four participating Georgia regions have tackled a total 1,022 projects with a budget of $1.9 billion for their TIA 1 terms. The HOGA, CSRA and River Valley regions all started their TIA 2 terms in 2023. When Southern Georgia begins its TIA 2 term, the four regions will be undertaking a total 996 projects with a budget of $2.14 billion.
