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DeKalb updates SPLOST spending and infrastructure plan as resurfacing costs surge
Summary
DeKalb officials outlined SPLOST-funded projects, noted the county has completed its first six‑year SPLOST cycle, reported roughly $154 million banked for SPLOST 2 and said resurfacing costs have roughly doubled since 2018, driving prioritization of the worst-first policy.
Public Works Director Peggy Allen and SPLOST program staff reviewed the county's pavement evaluation, SPLOST-funded capital program and stormwater inventory.
Allen explained the pavement condition index (PCI) process: each of roughly 7,200 roadway segments is inspected yearly and given a 0–62 rating (lower is better). Streets reaching a PCI of 30 are treated as past due for resurfacing; the county follows a 'worse-first' policy to maximize limited resurfacing budgets.
Officials said SPLOST funds enabled the resurfacing program, noting that a full SPLOST cycle (six years) supports around 120 miles of resurfacing per year and LMIG state funds add another ~19–20 miles. SPLOST program staff said SPLOST 2 collections began April 1, 2024, and the county had about $154,000,000 in banked funds at the time of the briefing to allocate to roads, fire stations, parks and other capital projects.
Officials also highlighted rising asphalt and labor costs: Allen said resurfacing costs rose from about $450,000 per mile in 2018 to roughly $900,000 per mile in recent contracts, with some contracts exceeding $1,000,000 per mile. Staff said SPLOST categories and intergovernmental agreements constrain how funds are spent and municipalities are responsible for reporting their expenditures under SPLOST IGAs.
The presentation included stormwater inventory notes (more than 500 miles of pipe, 22,000 catch basins, 938 detention ponds and over 200 bridges) and the county's stormwater master-plan phase 2 work to prioritize basin repairs.
