The federal government is giving $20 million to the Gwinnett County Department of Transportation to replace the Gwinnett Place Transit Center near the dying Gwinnett Place Mall, in an area that is the focus of a major revitalization effort.
U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Marietta, announced the grant Tuesday with U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.
The award is a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant from the United States Department of Transportation. In a news release, McBath said she requested U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg approve the funding.
“This community deserves strong federal investments like this RAISE grant,” McBath said. “I want to congratulate Gwinnett County for yet another significant award to invest in the progress of our transportation and infrastructure systems. This $20 million award from the RAISE program will be essential in shaping the future of transit in Gwinnett County.”
The Gwinnett Place Transit Center is one of the county’s busiest bus hubs and its expansion has been in the works for years. Current plans call for a modern two-story building near Interstate 85 at Pleasant Hill Road.
Gwinnett County is currently seeking public input on its Transit Development Plan for the future.
The Gwinnett Place Mall near Duluth was once considered the county’s unofficial downtown but has faded since the turn of the millennium. The county bought 39 acres of the site two years ago and plans to redevelop it as a largely residential mixed-use area with green space, accessible by trails as well as buses.
Most of the existing mall will be demolished.
“This grant marks a significant milestone in our community’s transit needs, and I look forward to witnessing the positive impact this investment will have on our residents and the overall development of Gwinnett County,” Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson said in the news release.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021 established the RAISE discretionary grant program. This year, $1.5 billion is available nationwide.
