The Transportation Investment Act Referendum, locally known as T-SPLOST, was passed by voters in the Southern Georgia Region on May 22, 2018. This referendum allows the implementation of a one-percent sales tax for 10 years, in which raised funds are used solely for tranportation purposes.  This one-percent sales tax increase will take effect across the entire Southern Georgia Region, which consists of the following counties: Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Pierce, Tift, Turner, and Ware.

Local businesses will start collecting the additional one-cent on October 1, 2018, which will help to fund transportation projects on the TIA investment list. The investment list has a total of 151 various transportation projects that are located throughout the region. These projects will be completed in bands or phases once the sales tax takes effect.  Band one projects are slated to reach the construction phase between October 2018 and September 2022. Band two projects are scheduled through 2025 and band three projects should reach construction by 2028.

A few key features of TIA in the Southern Georgia Region is that it is estmated to generate more than 513 million dollars over the next 10 years; however, should the Southern Georgia Region raise the projected revenue earlier than the 10 year mark, the sales tax will end.  TIA will allow for transporation projects  in local communities to be completed sooner through the use of discretionary funds (25% of the TIA proceeds), which are disbursed monthly to the Southern Georgia Regions’ governments.  The Southern Georgia Region will also receive a LMIG (Local Maintanence Improvement Grant) match reduction to 10% from 30%. TIA is administered by the GDOT TIA office, revenue oversight is provided by the Georgia Department of Revenue and the Georgia Financing and Investment Commission, and progress is monitored by a Citizens Reveiw Panel.

The passing of the TIA referendum in the Southern Georgia Region will help to improve transportation safety, network reliability, regional connectivity, and help to spur growth in regional economic centers.