GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga — Gwinnett County will get to vote on expanding bus and rail service this November. The board of commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the referendum today.
The commission put together a referendum funded by a 1% sales tax for a variety of transit projects. They divided money from the new sales tax between the exiting county bus service and a MARTA rail extension.
If voters approve the sales tax referendum, they will receive more bus services and some heavy-rail. The list includes 82 transit projects with a lot of county control over the funds.
According to a news release from Gwinnett County, “Under the referendum, the County would design and construct the transit projects; it would also operate and maintain the transit system except for the heavy rail extension, which MARTA must operate as stipulated by state law. In addition to the sales tax provided in the referendum, federal and state dollars and fare box collections would help fund the proposed transit projects over 30 years”.
Separately, some of the funds will be used to extend MARTA’s heavy rail line from the Doraville station to the Jimmy Carter Blvd extension.
This county-wide vote has been decades in the making.
People who live in Gwinnett had a transit referendum on the ballot in March 2019. Last time around, they voted against the funding in a special election.
Gwinnett voters will get to cast a ballot on the new transit referendum on Nov. 3.
For the resolution and a list of projects on the transit plan, visit GwinnettCounty.com.
Cox Media Group
