On November 8th the vote for the next leader of the free world will probably steal most of the headlines, but that’s far from the only thing on the ballot here in Georgia. Along with a Senate race and a bevy of local elections, the passage of SB 369 means that City of Atlanta voters will be voting on a five-year Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Transportation Purposes, (TSPLOST) as well as a .5% sales tax hike to fund a series of MARTA-based transportation projects.
The full project lists for those votes have finally been revealed, opening the door for a round of serious debate between supporters and opposition leading up to election day in November.
The Atlanta TSPLOST, a five year .4% sales tax increase, is projected to generate $380 million for the city to be used for a long list of road improvements across town. Atlanta, after all, is still very much a driving city, and road maintenance and improvement is a requirement as its population continues to skyrocket. “Increasing vehicular intersection capacity” is a common phrase seen on the project list, whether that solution be met by adding turn lanes or by other means.
MARTA’s project list on the other hand takes a different approach to Atlanta’s transportation needs. It includes a new heavy rail stop extending west to I-285, over 40 miles of light rail to link the existing streetcar with new lines around the Beltline, and a series of bus routes and station enhancements at pre-existing MARTA stops.
Voters will have their opportunity to vote for the two measures on November 8th.
