Kyle Gomez-Leineweber.
Director for Public Advocacy and Policy
GALEO Impact Fund
As a proud resident of Gwinnett County, with roots going back to my grandparents in Buford, I have seen firsthand how important mobility is to the lives of our community members. Gwinnett is home to a number of diverse communities, including Latinos and others with diverse immigrant backgrounds.
Many of these residents are part of hard-working class families, where owning or accessing a car is a privilege they cannot afford. Too many of my friends and loved ones have to rely on friends and family for rides, pay for costly services like Uber and Lyft, or simply walk long distances, often on dangerous roads. This creates barriers for them to get to work, doctor appointments, or even school meetings for their children.
As a young kid, I witnessed my own father– a proud immigrant from Mexico– scramble
to maintain access to reliable transportation so that he could work full-time, pay the bills,
and get us to where we needed to go. This struggle is a reality that has not changed
since my childhood and affects thousands of families in our community every day. Expanding transit in Gwinnett would give members of our community something they’ve
long needed: more options. It means we can get where we need to go without
sacrificing our time, money, or safety. Whether it’s catching a bus to work or taking
advantage of affordable microtransit options, more robust public transportation helps
everyone, especially those of us who don’t always have access to a car. We can no
longer ignore the needs of the tens of thousands of Gwinnett residents who stand to
benefit from this expanded network.
Voting YES for Gwinnett Transit will lead to benefits for every single resident of Gwinnett
County, regardless of whether you use the transit system or not. This plan is designed
to also reduce traffic congestion, improve safety in our communities, and create a more
accessible future for everyone. The transit referendum on the ballot this November
presents a unique opportunity to make meaningful change.
One of the key elements of the proposed transit expansion is the introduction of smart
traffic signals, which will help reduce traffic congestion across the county. These signals
will be synced together to keep traffic moving, meaning less time getting stuck at long
red lights. This is a solution that works for everyone—drivers who will spend less time in
traffic and community members who need reliable public transit to get where they need
to go. It’s a simple change that could make a huge difference for those of us who know
how frustrating Gwinnett’s traffic can be.
