Voting soon for MARTA service to Gwinnett County

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta) - Gwinnett County voters are taking part in a special election. The results will determine if MARTA will be able to expand its services.

Wednesday night, a town hall-informational session was held at Lilburn City Hall. If the one-cent sales tax for transit is passed, MARTA will take over the county's current bus system. Additionally, 50 miles of a dedicated lane for a bus rapid transit system would be added.

Passage would also extend MARTA's Gold Line from Doraville to I-85 and Jimmy Carter.

During the session, several neighbors and leaders addressed concerns about the possible expansion. FOX 5's Kerry Charles spoke with a councilman who says some people he's heard from worry about crime.

“Well, they're concerned if some people using this transit to come out and commit crimes then go back or crimes being committed on the rail system,” says Councilman Eddie Price.

MARTA says its police department and real-time crime-reporting app help to crack down on illegal behavior.

Others are concerned fewer people will participate in the special election.

“I think they're trying to slide it under, while people aren't looking they're going to be more interested in something like this if it's going to be a general election,” says Jim Ashenfelter who lives in Unincorporated Gwinnett County.

An unidentified voter we spoke with says the move is necessary, especially since the county expects more than 500,000 people to move into it by 2040.

“Gwinnett is growing and the time you sit in traffic to get downtown has taken me at least an hour and a half.”

Early voting runs through March 15. Election day is March 19.