Voters will be asked to consider renewing the county’s SPLOST program this November. Henry County formally called for the SPLOST VI vote during its July 30 meeting.
Planning for the SPLOST VI program began last fall. The county assembled a citizens’ committee who met during the first part of 2024 to consider and recommend potential projects. The board of commissioners approved this project list with slight modifications on July 30. Now, the voters will decide whether to approve SPLOST VI.
SPLOST VI Vote
The proposed SPLOST program would be its sixth iteration in Henry County. SPLOST VI would begin collections next April, if approved by voters, and last for six years. The current program is set to end collections in March. The referendum would renew the program. It is not an increase to the existing sales tax rate.
Henry County is estimating the six-year program would collect $470 million. The proceeds from which would then be divided among the county and four cities. The intergovernmental agreement approved by Henry County specifies the county would receive 68% of collections. The cities would split the remaining 32%. Population numbers from the 2020 Census were used in the agreement. The funding distribution is as follows:
| Percent | Dollar Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Henry County | 68% | $319.6 M |
| Hampton | 3.55% | $16.7 M |
| Locust Grove | 3.80% | $17.9 M |
| McDonough | 12.34% | $58.0 M |
| Stockbridge | 12.31% | $57.8 M |
| Total | 100% | $470 M |
SPLOST Project List
SPLOST proceeds must be spent on capital projects. Examples can be road improvements, public safety facilities and park upgrades. SPLOST cannot be spent on general county operations. The county has adopted the following distribution for its share of funds:
| Category | Dollar Amount |
|---|---|
| Transportation Projects | $216.4 M (67.7%) |
| $43.3 M per District | |
| Capital Projects | $96.8 M (30.3%) |
| Program Management | $6.4 M (2%) |
| Total | $319.6 M |
Capital Projects
The county’s $96.8 million for capital projects breaks down further to include the following:
- Public Safety – $39.5 M
- Senior Services – $20 M
- Parks & Recreation – $20.4 M
- Public Works – $5 M
- Asset & Information Technology – $4 M
- County Facilities – $7.9 M
Some highlights among these projects include $22.5 million for a new animal shelter, $16 million for fire rescue facilities & equipment, $18.5 million to replace Hidden Valley Senior Center, and $20.4 million for park improvements. Which park improvements the SPLOST program includes will be based on the forthcoming parks master plan. The board will consider adopting its recommendations later in August.
Transportation Projects
The transportation projects being considered in SPLOST VI have few changes since the citizens’ committee adopted its project list in June. The county prepared the map above at that time. As such, there are a few intersection and resurfacing projects not depicted above but on the project list.
Major Road Projects
Major widening projects being contemplated in SPLOST VI include several design or design & right of way (ROW) projects. If voters approve SPLOST VI, then the county could start on the pre-construction work for these projects. Such activity typically requires several years to complete depending on the length of the road widening project. Construction funding could then be allocated at a later date.
Some of the road widening projects in SPLOST VI include the following:
Locust Grove & Hampton
- SR 42 widening, south, SR 155 to Bill Gardner Parkway, design only; and
- Hampton-Locust Grove Road widening, SR 20 to SR 155, design & partial ROW.
Ola & Union Grove
- SR 81 widening, phase II, Bethany Road to Keys Ferry, design & partial ROW;
- Airline Road extension, Rodgers Road to SR 81, ROW & construction;
- East Lake Road widening, SR 155 to SR 20, design only;
- Keys Ferry Road extension, SR 81 to North Ola Road, design, ROW and construction; and
- Snapping Shoals Road improvements, North Ola Road to River Road, ROW & construction.
Central Henry
- McDonough Parkway widening, SR 20 to Jonesboro Road, design only;
- Jonesboro Road widening, I-75 East to McDonough Pkwy, design only;
- Oak Grove Road widening, Jodeco Road to Jonesboro Road, design & ROW;
- Willow Lane widening, Jonesboro Road to Bridges Road, design, ROW and construction;
- Bridges Road, Mt. Carmel Road to Willow Lane, design only;
- Jonesboro Road widening, N. Mt. Carmel Road to Clayton County line, design only;
- Jodeco Road widening, I-75 to Hudson Bridge Road, design only; and
- Patrick Henry Parkway widening, Eagles Landing Pkwy to Jodeco Road, design only.
North Henry
- Fairview Road widening, Home Depot to Hearn Road, construction; and
- East Atlanta Road widening, Fairview Road to Rex Road, design only.
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Intersection Improvements
In addition to major projects, the SPLOST program has intersection improvements. Here are the intersections planned for SPLOST VI:
- Peeksville at Leguin Mill Road,
- Peeksville at Old Jackson Road,
- Airline Road at McGarity Road,
- Racetrack Road at Travis Drive,
- Mt. Carmel at N. Mt. Carmel Road,
- Chambers at McCullough Road (design only),
- Mt. Olive at Chambers Road (design only),
- McDonough Parkway at Bridges Road,
- Henry Parkway at Henry Parkway Connector,
- Industrial Blvd at Henry Parkway,
- Flippen Road at McCullough Road, and
- East Atlanta at Rex Road.
Resurfacing
Finally, the program allocates about $62.6 million for road resurfacing. Based on current prices, this could pay for an estimated 90–125 miles of road work. The county traditionally does not designate which roads they will resurface in SPLOST. Instead, they allocate the resurfacing funds depending on the areas of most-critical need throughout the lifetime of the program. There are a few exceptions, however, for SPLOST VI. The county has designated a few joint resurfacing projects with the cities. Those projects are as follows:
- East Main Street / Old Highway 3, Spalding County line to Amah Lee Road, joint project with Hampton;
- East Atlanta Road, North Henry Blvd to Fairview Road, joint project with Stockbridge;
- Hudson Bridge Road / Eagles Landing Parkway / East Lake Road, Jodeco Road to SR 155, joint project with Stockbridge; and
- Flippen Road, North Henry Blvd to end, joint project with Stockbridge.
The above list is not inclusive of all roads that SPLOST VI could resurface.
Full Project List
The county project list in its entirety, and estimated project costs, is available in the county presentation below. Each city will adopt its project list separately.
More information about the county’s current SPLOST VI program, and its projects, is available on the county website.
Featured image shows Interstate 75 and SPLOST VI vote sign. AA Roads photo / Sign Maker by Brendon Strowe sign.
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