On Tuesday night, the Cobb County BOC voted 4-1 to allow residents to vote on a special purpose local option sales tax in November. The SPLOST would last six years and is expected to raise $750 million for transportation projects.
The BOC made several changes before the vote determining the list of projects that would be funded by the SPLOST. For one, they removed $72.5 million dollars worth of projects for intersection and pedestrian improvements along Cobb Parkway. These projects were listed in “tier two” of the list, projects that are only considered if there is a surplus of funding once “tier one” projects are exhausted.
A 2013 Cobb DOT report emphasizes that SPLOST transportation improvements have a significant positive impact on operational and safety issues the county faces. Improvements completed in 2008 from SPLOST funding reduced accidents in Cobb by 66% overall. The approval of SPLOST for Cobb County ensures continued improvement and safety of Cobb roads and will be a win for the county as a whole.
To learn more on the SPLOST, Click Here