Station-by-station plans

How communities will expand transit if MARTA vote passes.

Gwinnett County voters have begun to cast ballots that will determine whether they will accept a transportation contract with MARTA, but one question still looms large: What exactly do they get out of this?

The county’s 167-page transit plan is available online, but isn’t a light read.

Here’s a simplified explanation of what residents will see in their neighborhoods if the referendum passes March 19.

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Gwinnett County Transit currently operates six local bus routes serving Norcoss, Duluth, Lilburn, Lawrenceville, Norcross and Peachtree Corners. From stops in Buford, Norcross and Lawrenceville, commuters have access to express buses to downtown Atlanta and MARTA trains. The county also recently launched an on-demand “flex transit” service in the Snellville area, allowing residents to request a ride anywhere within the service area.

The first five years of Gwinnett’s transit plan focuses on expanding bus service farther north and east, reaching more of Duluth and new areas including Berkeley Lake, Buford and Snellville. Buford and Sugar Hill will be added to the on-demand flex transit service. Adding access to paratransit for those with disabilities, new park-and-ride facilities and commuter buses connecting directly to MARTA train stations are also in the early stages of the plan.

After five years, residents can expect to see bus rapid transit — buses traveling in dedicated lanes on routes with few stops in core locations. More bus routes, park-and-rides and express bus routes will be added, as well as longer hours for bus service. The long-term phase of the plan, at least 10 years out, will see Gwinnett connected to MARTA’S Gold Line with a heavy rail station on Jimmy Carter Boulevard in Norcross. Long term plans also include rapid bus routes, which are buses that stop frequently and use special lanes to get ahead of traffic.

For those still out of reach of bus, train and flex routes, the county is subsidizing Gwinnett County residents’ use of services like Uber and Lyft to reach transit stations and stops. The program would begin at $200,000 per year in subsidies. The county will sponsor a vanpool program to encourage people in more rural areas to take group rides to work or public transportation. Improvements to bicycle and pedestrian access are also in the county’s plan.

EMILY HANEY / EMILY.HANEY@AJC.COM The first five years of the transit plan focuses on relieving Gwinnett’s traffic by expanding bus service farther north and east.

BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM MARTA trains are not in the short-term plan for Gwinnett County. They would be in the long-term phase, at least 10 years out.