The Vote to Expand MARTA and What It Means

On March 19, Gwinnett County voters will be asked to vote “yes” or “no” on this question: “Gwinnett County has executed a contract for the provision of transit services, dated as of August 2, 2018. Shall this contract be approved?”

Go Gwinnett, a registered ballot committee, wants to make sure voters understand just what a “yes” or “no” vote means to Gwinnett County and its future.

What “yes” or “no” means for Gwinnett

A “yes” vote for the Gwinnett MARTA expansion will connect the county to the rest of the metro Atlanta region, giving residents more options to get to their destinations, whether for work or play and will offer new customers the opportunity to frequent Gwinnett’s shopping and entertainment venues.

The expansion will be funded by a new one-cent sales tax that will be used solely to benefit residents of the county. “Gwinnett’s money stays in Gwinnett,” said Brian Robinson, spokesperson for the Go Gwinnett campaign. “All tax dollars collected will return to the county for local projects.”

A “no” vote will prevent the expansion, and that won’t decrease traffic. It will, however, limit the opportunities of how residents and visitors can move through Gwinnett.

More transit options

There’s no question that the current road traffic is already strained, and it’s only going to get more congested as Gwinnett grows. The partnership with MARTA will bring more options for commuters.

“More transit options will help reduce traffic congestion on the roads and provide faster commutes for riders as well as those on the roads,” Robinson said. “Gwinnett would benefit early on from double local bus and express routes, more park-and-ride lots, flex “on demand” services, “direct connect” routes and more paratransit services.” Exciting new bus rapid transit options will follow.

Additionally, the MARTA contract would extend the heavy rail line from the existing Doraville station to a new multi-modal transit hub hear I-85 and Jimmy Carter Blvd.

Something for everyone

Not only will approval of the MARTA contract make lives easier for residents and ensure smarter growth, but it also will offer more independence and inclusion for seniors and disabled residents — and bring in more Millennials.

“Fast and attractive transit options will help our county attract and keep the Millennial and Generation Z workforce critical to our economy, our schools and our neighborhoods over the next 40 years,” Robinson said

transit hubs will drive smart growth around those areas and boost Gwinnett’s tax base by spurring redevelopment of aging retail centers. The expanded transit options will also attract new high-paying jobs. Many of metro Atlanta’s biggest economic development announcements have come from companies that demanded close access to transit for their employees.

Money and decision-making stay here

Every penny from the one-cent sale tax goes right back into Gwinnett County. “The 1 percent sales tax approach means that 25 to 30 percent of the dollars generated will come from people who live outside the county,” Robinson explained. That means that Gwinnett will get 100 percent of the benefit with only 75 percent of the cost.

The expansion is based on Gwinnett’s plan for transit expansion and its contract with MARTA. That contract has special provisions that protect the county.

“Gwinnett maintains local decision making on transit projects and service standards, and Gwinnett will attain three seats on the MARTA board, increasing our voice and oversight in regional decisions,” Robinson said.

Why MARTA?

Some residents may question why Gwinnett should partner with MARTA, rather than Gwinnett County Transit, to expand local services. Robinson pointed out that what MARTA offers is a higher capacity to build out new infrastructure, and MARTA has the most knowledge and expertise to develop bus rapid transit, light rail and heavy rail in the State of Georgia.

Additionally, working with MARTA is essential so that the system that is developed in Gwinnett can connect to existing transit infrastructure as efficiently as possible.

Partnering with MARTA to expand access to transit and offer more transit options is an important part of making Gwinnett County a better place to live, work and raise a family. ■

Get Out and Vote!

► Election Day is Tuesday, March 19.
► Early voting begins Monday, Feb. 25 at the Gwinnett Justice Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville 30046. Starting Monday, March 4, early voting is available Monday through Sunday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., at every early vote location until Friday, March 15.
► Visit gogwinnett.org for updates and more information.