Maybe you’d like to know what are the T-SPLOST projects and how much they cost, so you can decide whether you think the tax is worth it (in addition to all the other considerations). That can take some work. Here’s an example.

Since Gretchen Quarterman asked what $5 million for one intersection would buy, T-SPLOST plans have been filed and a constrained list and then a final list approved by GDOT. Price tags jumped wildly up and down in the constrained list. For example, widening less than 3 miles of Old US 41 North from North Valdosta road to Union Road jumped from $8 million in June 2011 to $12 million in August.

In the final list, this item seems to be the one Gretchen was talking about:

RC11-000100 St Augustine Road at Gornto Road Intersection Improvements

You can find that one line on www.t-splost.com, which seems to be the state’s propaganda site for pushing T-SPLOST.

To find the current dollar amounts, you have to rummage around elsewhere until you find a list by GDOT, which says $2,109,391 for that project, all paid for by T-SPLOST. That’s not $5 million anymore, so this one apparently jumped down in price. This item also includes a cost line item marked UTL, which one would guess is for Utiltiies, of $250,000.

But what does the money go for? That’s yet another document, also on GDOT’s website, called Southern Georgia Region Final Investment List Report TIA, which has the appended details for that Gornto intersection project.

You may wonder where on the web you can find these project sheets broken out like this so you can flip through them; maybe even compare the final, constrained, and unconstrained lists to see how the prices and descriptions varied. I wonder that, too. I made this HTML version for this blog post. You’d think GDOT would make something like that available, if they were interested in offering a good deal to the public.

-jsq

Project Sheet

Project Number: RC11-000100 Project Name: St Augustine Road at Gornto Road Intersection Improvements GDOT ID:   Project Description: The project is located on State Route 133 approximately 0.4 miles east of I-75. The project will include the design, permitting, right of way acquisition and construction of several improvements. Right turn lanes on Saint Augustine Road in both the east bound and west bound directions will be built; an additional right turn lane on Gornto Road in the south bound direction will be constructed and an additional left turn lane on Saint Augustine Road in the east bound direction will be built. The project will include the relocation of overhead utilities as necessary. The existing signal will be upgraded and coordinated with other signals along Saint Augustine Road. Regional Commission: Southern Georgia County: Lowndes County Phase Total Project Cost Total TIA Amount PE $63,659 $63,659 ROW $1,000,000 $1,000,000 CST $795,732 $795,732 UTL $250,000 $250,000 Total $2,109,391 $2,109,391 Comments: Comments (Please note all cost estimates are in 2011 dollars and actual costs for all phases at year of expenditure will be higher): Public Benefit Notes Ensuring Safety and Security This project would benefit the public by potentially reducing the incidence of crashes along this roadway segment, corridor, and/or intersection. Additional Benefits This project will benefit the traveling public by reducing the frequency and servity of crashes at this intersection. Project Location

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