An effort to expand MARTA in DeKalb County isn't moving forward at the Georgia General Assembly.
The legislation, House Bill 1144, would have allowed DeKalb residents to vote next year on a half-percent sales tax to fund MARTA's growth in the county.
A similar bill to extend MARTA in Fulton County passed the Georgia House of Representatives on a 159-4 vote Wednesday.
Projects in DeKalb could have included a light rail system along the Emory/Clifton Corridor and a heavy rail extension along Interstate 20 to Stonecrest Mall.
Rep. Howard Mosby, the sponsor of HB1144, said he and other MARTA supporters in DeKalb will have to wait until next year.
The bill didn’t get a hearing after it was assigned to the House Transportation Committee this week. Mosby wanted the bill to be treated as local legislation that could have moved forward with the support of county lawmakers.
“I’m disappointed. DeKalb County doesn’t want to lag behind the other regional partners in improving transportation,” said Mosby, D-Atlanta.
