Lancaster County Council OKs transportation sales-tax referendum for November with amendments

The Lancaster County Council voted 5-2 on third reading to place a proposed transportation sales-and-use tax package on the Nov. 4, 2025, ballot that would raise the county sales tax from 8% to 9% for 10 years and is projected to generate about $253 million for road widenings, intersections, resurfacing, right-of-way and utility costs, and smaller mobility projects.

The measure approved by council also asks voters a second question permitting the county to issue up to $100 million in bonds backed by proceeds of the special sales tax so projects can move forward more quickly than pay-as-you-go funding would allow.

Council members amended the ordinance on the floor multiple times before final passage. The council voted unanimously (7-0) to add Harrisburg Road and Barbourville Road to the major-widening funding bucket. A separate amendment to replace one intersection project with another (substituting the Still Hill/Old Hickory alignment for the South White/3 Crow/Old Hickory alignment) passed 4-3. Council also added language in the ordinance’s project exhibit to earmark $1 million of the greenways bucket for the Lindsay Pettus…