By Lewis Cooksey
Gwinnett County Transportation Director
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. | With over a million residents in Gwinnett, we at the Gwinnett Department of Transportation (DOT) are focused on ensuring that we are providing connectivity and access to move around the county’s 437 square miles. With more cars on the road, it’s clear we need a better way to get around.
Cooksey
This is why we are focusing on improving mobility for all—not just to ease traffic but to connect people to jobs, shopping, education, and entertainment. When new residents move to Gwinnett, providing a high quality of life—including the best transportation options to connect where they live, work, and play—is essential.
In September 2023, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners approved a robust transit plan based on public input to address critical services such as health care, jobs, and schools. The plan seeks to provide the infrastructure that supports mobility for all, while leveraging technology and improving the reliability of transit services. This comprehensive plan includes a variety of solutions to build a stronger transit system and aims for 100 percent countywide coverage, starting with a foundation of microtransit services.
The introduction of zone-based microtransit, offering curb-to-curb shared-ride service, has been a game changer for residents, making it easier to reach their destinations. Recently, we spoke with a resident who shared that without the microtransit service in Snellville, their son and daughter wouldn’t have had an affordable way to get to work. Our Ride Gwinnett app allows users to book and pay for service within designated zones. Microtransit is currently available in Snellville, Lawrenceville, and, most recently, as a pilot program in Norcross. It operates Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. With smaller vehicles, quicker trips are available.
Click image to read the executive summary.
Both residents and business owners are excited about the proposed Airport Ride from Gwinnett County to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. This service will operate on-demand, allowing residents to book trips in advance. Available from multiple locations in the county, up to seven days a week, it will offer a convenient one-seat ride to the airport.
The transit plan also includes a 26-mile Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system to move large numbers of people quickly and frequently. This service will feature stations, dedicated bus-only lanes, transit signal priority, queue jumps and off-board payment, serving major destinations like Northside Hospital Gwinnett, Gwinnett Technical College, Gas South District, and Jimmy Carter Boulevard at OFS.
For longer trips within the county, the plan proposes a traditional local fixed-route bus service, called County Ride. This service will have more frequent buses and use transit signal priority to ensure buses reach their destinations on time. Transit signal priority communicates with traffic lights to improve travel times for buses.
The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners approved a referendum for a Transit Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (Transit SPLOST) that will be on the November 5 ballot for the voters to determine whether to fund transit projects with Transit SPLOST revenues. If passed, the one percent sales tax would fund up to 75 projects over 30 years.
Currently, Ride Gwinnett is funded by property taxes, federal funds, grants, and fares. This dedicated Transit SPLOST would be paid for by everyone who makes purchases in Gwinnett. If voters approve the tax, our goal is to add microtransit zones, implement the Airport Ride and design our Bus Rapid Transit in the first five years.
One key difference from previous referendums is that this transit plan does not include heavy rail or MARTA. I encourage you to learn more about the referendum so you can make an informed decision when voting.
- Visit GwinnettCounty.com/YourRide to explore the plan in detail.
- Have a comment? Click here to send an email.
Follow Us