Senate Bill could extend MARTA into Gwinnett

A bill has been presented to the state Senate which, if passed, would allow MARTA to extend rail service to Gwinnett County up I-85 without requiring a county-wide approval. SB332 was presented last week by Sen. Curt Thompson (D-Tucker) to the Urban Affairs Committee. According to the Gwinnett Daily Post, the bill was presented so late in the session (on purpose maybe?) that the extension will only be discussed this summer and it will not be voted on until next year.

However, this is still a huge break for MARTA. Not only is Gwinnett investing in transit feasibility studies and is lobbying for more transit options in the suburbs, but Cobb and Clayton counties are also watching very closely how this bill is treated. Cobb is considering rail service to the Cobb Galleria and Clayton has been considering rail service beyond the airport. The result of this bill could greatly influence how previously hostile counties will react to increasing transportation difficulties.

On a side note, MARTA is still ignoring Roswell and N. Fulton's pleas for extended rail service further up GA-400 citing, among other things, a lack of density.