Will Gwinnett County, Ga., voters get hit with second wave of transit expansion?
Written by RT&S Staff
MARTA completes “state of good repair” work on lines north of Lindbergh Center through Lenox station.
MARTA
This is one second wave Gwinnett County, Ga., officials cannot wait to see unfold. For the second time in less than two years, voters may get the chance to decide if transit expansion is right for them.
Back in March 2019, MARTA’s Connect Gwinnett plan was defeated by eight percentage points. Officials blame the loss on poor timing, and the latest transit proposal is supposedly improved with more coverage across the county. Gwinnett County commissioners approved a second transit expansion plan that would also have heavy rail. Now they must decide if they will put the $12 billion plan on the November ballot. That move needs to be made by the end of July. MARTA’s Connect Gwinnett proposal also included heavy rail.
If commissioners want the latest plan on the ballot they need to come up with a funding source. MARTA is again being considered, as is the new Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority. If MARTA is picked it will manage the entire Gwinnett system, and the transit agency will still run the heavy rail portion if officials go with Atlanta-Region Transit Link.
Gwinnett County Commissioner Ben Ku says the time to invest in rail is now because the transportation option is not getting any cheaper.
Lawrenceville City Manager Chuck Warbington believes there is community support for transit expansion in Gwinnett County.
