DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis met with executive officials from the U.S Department of Transportation in Washington Monday to ask for help in constructing a MARTA rail line on the Interstate-20 east corridor if voters approve a regional sales tax for transportation.
Some DeKalb County residents have criticized the July referendum's proposed project list for leaving off rail to the south end of the county, which has long been in MARTA plans.
If the vote passes, MARTA would get $225 million to build an expansive bus system to tie south DeKalb to metro job centers. Ellis wants to use the money instead to attract matching -- and scarce -- federal dollars to build a rail spur from the Indian Creek MARTA station to the I-20 intersection at Wesley Chapel Road and eventually to Stonecrest Mall.
U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, who represents part of DeKalb County, also attended the meeting.
About the Author
