Vote ‘YES’ on proposals to expand transit in Cobb and Gwinnett Counties

If you live in Cobb or Gwinnett County, you’ll have the chance to vote for smart climate solutions this election. At the very end of your ballot is a question that asks if you support increasing your county’s sales tax by one cent to fund transit projects. Environment Georgia strongly urges you to vote “yes” for transit expansion in Cobb and Gwinnett.

Roughly three-quarters of Americans drive alone to work each day. This car-centric commute has been wreaking havoc on our health and the planet. Pollution from our gas-powered vehicles cuts short thousands of American lives each year while thousands more are killed in automobile crashes. Simply sitting in traffic for extended periods of time can increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, as well as lead to higher levels of stress and depression.

Beyond causing us personal suffering, our car-dominated transportation decisions are causing more extreme temperatures, shifting weather patterns, and an increased prevalence of deadly diseases around the world. Transportation is Georgia’s number one source of greenhouse gas emissions and the largest single contributor to the climate crises. We also know Atlanta struggles with a clean air problem – our report found over 2 months (67 days) of elevated levels of air pollution in the Metro Atlanta region. 

If successful, the transit proposals in Gwinnett and Cobb Co. would:

• Build Bus Rapid Transit lines – these lines include permanent stations that can help spur apartments and shopping opportunities that actually cater to transit riders.
• Build more bike trails – making bicycle commuting safer, more affordable, and more pleasant for people can create a viable alternative to personal vehicles and the ability to choose a car-less and healthier  lifestyle.
• Increase pedestrian infrastructure – sidewalks make it safer to walk to transit, or anywhere. .

You can read more about Gwinnett Counties list of proposed projects here and Cobb Counties list of projects here.

Our current transportation system has been designed around moving as many gas-guzzling automobiles as quickly as possible. This obsession with vehicle speed has led to a national transportation strategy focused on roadway expansion above all else, leaving our country with millions of miles of asphalt, many of which are inefficient and dangerous..

But we can change this. If you live in Gwinnett or Cobb County vote yes on the Mobility SPLOST questions to get us moving in the right direction!

Election day is on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. To confirm you are registered to vote and find your polling place visit the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.This post was paid for by Get Gwinnett Going and Keep Cobb Moving, two committees that Environment Georgia has teamed up with to support these transit referendums.