Duluth, GA — On Monday, July 24, Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-07) and Senator Jon Ossoff conducted a press conference with Gwinnett County leaders and U.S. Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy Christopher Coes to celebrate a $20 million federal investment in Gwinnett County through a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant award. Thanks to this grant, the Gwinnett Place Transit Center will soon be replaced with a modern 2-story building, representing the first major service expansion since the inception of transit service in Gwinnett County. McBath and Ossoff advocated their support for this award to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg earlier this year.
“Today is a celebration of what is made possible by federal investments such as this RAISE grant,” McBath said. “What is currently little more than a parking lot and a few covered benches will soon be a new 2-story facility that will truly be a hub for transit in Gwinnett County. I was so pleased to advocate my strong support for this federal grant award and help bring this investment back home to our district. Congratulations once again to our Gwinnett County elected officials and staff whose leadership and vision for the future made this grant award possible.”
“Working alongside Senator Warnock and Congresswoman McBath, we are delivering this extraordinary bipartisan infrastructure law investment in the Gwinnett Place Transit Center to upgrade quality of life, connectivity, and access to transportation for all people in metro Atlanta and across the State of Georgia,” Sen. Ossoff said. “I thank President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary Buttigieg for their support.”
“We’re grateful to have incredible support for our efforts at the federal level, and I’d like to share my thanks to Congresswoman McBath, Senator Ossoff and Assistant Secretary Coes among other critical stakeholders who helped us secure this funding,” said Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson. “This $20 million investment in mobility is essential as we prepare to welcome an additional 500,000 residents by 2050.”
“The new transit center will be a valuable asset to this important area of the county as we move forward with the Gwinnett Place Mall Site Revitalization Strategy,” said District 1 Commissioner Kirkland Carden. “This project is the critical link for the redevelopment of this area into a thriving, walkable transit-oriented community.”
“With the County’s planned service expansion for Ride Gwinnett, we expect ridership at the transit center to nearly double compared to today, and this project will make the Gwinnett Place Transit Center much more convenient, comfortable and accessible place for riders,” said District 2 Commissioner Ben Ku. “I can’t wait to see how this center improves the transit experience across the county.”
“Mobility options are vital to our transportation network, and the replacement of the Gwinnett Place Transit Center will enhance our current services while expanding opportunities for the future,” said Gwinnett Transportation Director Lewis Cooksey.
The new Gwinnett Place Transit Center represents the critical first step in the Gwinnett County’s transit plan and will expand the primary transfer hub in the county into a modern, multimodal hub to provide seamless transfers between various modes, enhance rider experience, and support Gwinnett County’s efforts to transform the adjacent former mall site into a vibrant, cultural, mixed-use center. The RAISE discretionary grant program was established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021. $1.5 billion was available in funding nationwide in 2023. Gwinnett County’s successful funding application was first announced on June 26, 2023.