Savannah council approves TSPLOST project list, with nod towards countywide CAT expansion

Savannah City Council voted on Thursday to approve the infrastructure projects that would be funded by a potential Transportation Special Option Local Sales Tax, or TSPLOST.

Following council’s 6-3 approval of the vote, the city's TSPLOST wish list goes to the county to be added to a package that includes projects from other municipalities as well as the county government. Voters will have the ultimate say on TSPLOST, with a referendum appearing on the midterm ballot in November.

TSPLOST is meant to serve as a revenue source for Georgia municipalities, specifically for funding various transportation-related capital improvement projects, such as roadwork, bridges, pedestrian and bike trails and public transportation.

Mayor Van Johnson and council members Bernetta Lanier, Detric Leggett, Nick Palumbo, Linda Wilder-Bryan and Kurtis Purtee voted to approve the project list, which is part of the intergovernmental agreement, or IGA, necessary for the TSPLOST process to move forward.

Alderwomen Alicia Miller Blakely, Kesha Gibson Carter and Estella Shabazz voted in opposition.

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Shabazz said she couldn't vote for the IGA, since none of the projects she and District 5 residents produced at public meetings — most of which involved flood mitigation and drainage — were included on the project list.

"We ask that you include our list, all of the work that my constituents, my residents, did," Shabazz said. "All we're asking is that you attach our list."

Melder applauded the mayor pro-tem for her community outreach, saying she "did the work" in the 5th District.

Shabazz's list was not attached, but Melder assured her that the list of projects on the IGA was not the final list, and it would be refreshed annually as part of the city's budget considerations, which would be voted on by council to "make sure [it] is equitable and fair." and would have "investments in our needs, but also investments in our communities."

What does Savannah want from TSPLOST?

Thursday's approval was for an intergovernmental agreement between Chatham County and the eight municipalities within the county lines, which outlined the projects Savannah's piece of the pie would fund.

Earlier this year, all but one of the municipalities in Chatham County submitted project lists and signed agreements to participate in TSPLOST, should it pass. Savannah was the only holdout.

The City of Savannah backed away from supporting the tax due to the lack of a commitment to county-wide public transportation from several other municipalities.

But now, a provision for that is included in the IGA's Programs and Purposes section, which Melder said would require other municipalities to at least consider a countywide expansion on a yearly basis.

The section reads, in part, "County and Municipal TSLPOST support will include the appropriate consideration of transit-supportive infrastructure such as sidewalks and shelters as well as partnership funding to leverage grants for system expansion, fleet and operations sustainability including EV, and a keen focus on connecting all of Chatham County."

"This is under the programs and purposes list of the IGA, so a pretty meaty paragraph about a greater countywide commitment," Melder said.

A section of the IGA says CAT is " embarking on a Master Transit Plan and Implementation Strategy development over the remainder of this year and early 2023 that will define the transit investments to enhance connectivity and mobility serving the county and the municipalities as well as the region."

While the idea of taking Chatham Area Transit county-wide has been brought up a few times this year, Mayor Van Johnson said he hasn't heard anything to indicate there's been substantial movement on the idea, or support from other municipalities.

In May, during the primary election, Pooler residents voted down a referendum that would have increased property taxes by 1.15 mills to help fund Chatham Area Transit bus stops.

About 4,000 residents, less than 20% of eligible voters, cast a vote, with 61% of them saying no.

City pushes large project list

According to the supporting documents with the IGA, the TSPLOST revenue would provide the City of Savannah $143.5 million to fund and execute critical transportation related projects and priorities.

Nearly $42 million would go toward a local roadway congestion mitigation program, which would include additional citywide projects that would be determined by city council. Those projects include Skidaway Road widening and intersection improvements; President Street overpass contribution with Chatham County and Louisville Street improvements.

Other projects on the list are $20 million for local roadway resurfacing and maintenance; transportation related stormwater improvement, $7 million;, transportation safety/signal program, $12 million; sidewalk expansion and maintenance, $18 million; pedestrian and bicycle safety and connectivity program, $18 million; traffic calming improvement and expansion program, $7.5 million and bridge repair program, $3 million.

The President Street railroad cross was improved earlier this year. Now the City of Savannah and Chatham County are turning attention to an overpass, which is included as a project for the upcoming proposed transportation penny sales tax referendum in November.

Additionally, some of the funds would be used for Project DeRenne, which encompasses three separate projects: a rework of the I-516 Eastern Terminus Interchange, East DeRenne Avenue Improvements and West DeRenne Avenue Improvements.

The most drastic change in the project will be the new interchange: a raised exit that runs over the corner of Hunter Army Airfield and connects with Hampstead Avenue.

Along with the local projects, there are also regional Tier I projects that are projects for the use and benefit of the entire county, cross multiple jurisdictions and have been jointly identified by staff from all Chatham County jurisdictions.

Phases I and II of Benton Boulevard have been identified as regional projects and have a combined price tag of $24.5 million.

Will Peebles is the enterprise reporter for Savannah Morning News. He can be reached at wpeebles@gannett.com and @willpeeblessmn on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah City Council approves TSPLOST agreement on November ballot