It’s obvious the folks who vote in suburban Gwinnett County, Georgia literally don’t want to be connected to Atlanta and turned down a hook ...
It’s obvious the folks who vote in suburban Gwinnett County, Georgia literally don’t want to be connected to Atlanta and turned down a hook up with MARTA.
So no, the transit system will not be extending into the county. When the counting was over, the tally came to 46 percent for the plan, 54 percent against it.
Basically, the plan would have allowed MARTA to take over the county’s current bus system, add 50 miles of dedicated lanes for a bus rapid transit system, and extend MARTA’s gold train line from Doraville to Interstate 85. It also called for a one-cent sales tax to make it happen.
“It’s a terrible plan, it’s ill-conceived, it does not fit our county at all and people resent it,” Gwinnett County resident Joe Newton told Fox 5.
“MARTA lost this vote years ago by the way they conducted their business, so it was a matter of us getting people out and reminding them what kind of operation MARTA is,” said Newton.
Then you have Michael Beck. He’s convinced the transit plan would send Gwinnett down a bumpy road.
“The money can be used in a much better way than 4 miles of rail and extending our bus services, we feel we can do a better job on our own,” said Beck.
There was also opposition to MARTA because the plan would have changed the lay of the land for Gwinnett County.
“If we want to be part of the next generation and be the beacon for the South, we have to have transit,” said Heather Hayes.
Paige Havens says the issue of transit isn’t going away and it’s not a matter of “if” but a matter of “when.”
“It’s going to come around again and we’re not going to give up until we make this happen,” said Havens.
Well over 90,000 voters cast their ballots in the election last Tuesday.
PHOTO: AP
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