Kelly Girtz Mayor | City of Athens
Kelly Girtz Mayor | City of Athens
A project request form for the proposed Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) 2026 program in Athens-Clarke County is now available online. The submission deadline has been extended to January 10, 2025. Interested parties are advised to submit forms early for staff review and potential follow-up.
An instructional video is accessible online and on the ACCGov YouTube channel to assist with the form. Detailed information is required for potential TSPLOST projects, particularly regarding cost projections. Non-ACCGov staff submitting a project should consult with relevant departments for assistance and to inform them of their plans, as departments may be working on similar submissions.
The contacts for various types of projects include Mike Mathews at Athens-Ben Epps Airport for airport-related projects, Vic Pope at the Transit Department for bus-related projects, Alex Bond at Leisure Services Department for greenways or Rail to Trails projects, and Julia Johnson at Transportation & Public Works Department for roads and related infrastructure.
Georgia law permits local communities to use TSPLOST proceeds for transportation purposes if approved by voters. The first TSPLOST in Athens-Clarke County was approved in November 2017, with collections from April 2018 until late 2022. Current collections under TSPLOST 2023 began in October 2022 and will continue through December 2026.
The TSPLOST 2026 Advisory Committee comprises 22 residents appointed by the Mayor and Commission to recommend candidate projects. Residents will vote on May 19, 2026, on the program and approved projects list.
In extending the submission deadline, $140 million has been pre-designated within the TSPLOST 2026 Program budget towards various infrastructure initiatives such as road pavement ($54.5 million), transit services ($45 million), among others.
Should voters approve the TSPLOST 2026 program in May, tax collection would continue without interruption after current collections end in December 2026. The sales tax rate would remain unchanged at eight percent.
Further details about project submissions can be found on the TSPLOST website or by contacting the ACCGov Capital Projects Department.
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