2020 has been anything but ordinary for families both locally and around the world. In Georgia, while we continue to deal with a public health crisis, accompanying economic fallout and historically high unemployment, we also headed to the polls to vote in the 2020 primary elections. Voters across the state considered matters from the presidential preference primary to partisan issue questions, and in some communities, even had the opportunity to take their economic future into their own hands. 

Voters in those local elections delivered a promising sign for Georgia’s future and economic resilience through the overwhelming approval to renew the 2012 Regional Transportation Investment Act (TIA) for the Central Savannah Area Regional Commission. The regional TIA has allowed these 13 counties to invest over $500 million in local transportation infrastructure over the last eight years. Enacted by the General Assembly in 2010 and passed in 46 counties across Georgia just two years later, the TIA program has been resoundingly successful and has completed 52 projects to date with 12 projects under construction. From road widenings on SR 388 to Augusta public transportation operational funding, the TIA has enabled these Georgia communities to significantly propel local economic development efforts forward. Perhaps that’s why voters gave a resounding thumbs-up to extending the program for another 10 years. By a margin of nearly 2-1, voters in those counties chose to invest another $555 million in local roads, bridges, intersections, streetscapes, airports, emergency vehicles, sidewalks, and freight and logistics needs. 

These success stories are why the Georgia Transportation Alliance has been and continues to be at the forefront of statewide, multi-modal transportation investment. We conducted polling earlier in 2020 that clearly demonstrates what the voters of the Central Savannah Area Region have experienced; that transportation investment works. 42% of Georgians believe that transportation infrastructure is the most important function of government. 60% believe that transportation investment is the responsibility of state and local, not federal, governments. And 52% of Georgians shared that they would re-elect an official who votes to increase taxes for transportation funding. 

Very soon, the voters of the River Valley Region will be provided with the same opportunity to transform their communities through investment in transportation. As one of the original three regions that passed TIA in 2012, the voters of Appling, Bleckley, Candler, Dodge, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, Wheeler and Wilcox counties have collected over $220 million for re-investment in their communities through 501 completed projects with 72 currently under construction. And local leaders in this area have begun the process of convening a regional roundtable to select projects for a second 10-year renewal prior to 2022. These local leaders are demonstrating the vision needed to successfully drive the River Valley Region forward through economic recovery and into a more resilient future. 

Transportation investment is a critical component of Georgia’s economic future. The statistics prove it and Georgians agree with it. Our state is one of the fastest growing in the country and our ability and willingness to invest makes our economic recovery sure and, our future, strong.  As we move forward into the 2021 year and beyond, I challenge every region in the state to look to the Central Savannah Area and follow the example of communities that have not only seen the value of multi-modal investment but have realized the power of acting on it.

Seth Millian is Executive Director of Georgia Transportation Alliance