The Great Exchange on Transportation

Transcription

1 The Great Exchange on Transportation A Community Conversation on the future of transportation in Gwinnett The Great Exchange was a grassroots effort bringing the people of Gwinnett County together to discuss one of the most pressing issues facing the community today: Transportation. This report outlines the respondent s collective vision for Gwinnett.

2 Overview: The week of August 24-28, 2015, residents, workers and community leaders in Gwinnett County took part in one of the largest transportation focused public input initiatives ever to be conducted in a single week. The goal of The Gr8 Exchange was twofold: 1. To engage local residents and workers soliciting input on existing and future aspects of transportation in Gwinnett 2. To focus all conversations in Gwinnett for one week on transportation It was the most comprehensive transportation survey ever undertaken in Gwinnett County, with more than 4,000 surveys completed and just under 40,000 individual responses. Thousands shared their views on the current state of Gwinnett's transportation network, places they'd like to access with more ease and what strategic investments they'd like to see in coming years. However, the results extended well beyond the survey participation. Local residents and workers were engaged in a dialogue about transportation. Many that did not necessarily complete the survey, participated by sharing their views with friends or colleagues in person and on social media. A total of 83 events were held in association with the Gr8 Exchange; ranging from telephone town halls and technical forums by cities to small group conversations between everyday Page 2

3 citizens and community leaders. Nearly 1,600 people pledged on to have 5 or more personal conversations about transportation in Gwinnett that week. Public Relations and Marketing: Social Media Engagement: Total engaged users on Facebook: 12,440 Average weekly engaged users on Facebook: 3,882 Facebook Daily reach of page posts: 531,651 Facebook average daily shares: 41 Facebook average daily comments on posts: 18 Media Coverage: TV coverage viewership 923,464 Online coverage 36,000 estimated story views; 465 social shares Print coverage >3.5 Million impressions Radio coverage: NPR, V103, WSB Radio The week of August 24, transportation dominated the conversation all across Gwinnett County and beyond. Page 3

4 Summary of Findings: The main takeaways from the 8 question exchange were: Moving beyond the car: A majority of respondents favored alternatives for improving transportation in Gwinnett. The respondents were clear that the existing transportation infrastructure is congested, limiting, and isolating. Whether it was improving the existing Gwinnett transit service through better facilities, expanded routes and hours of operation, or expanding MARTA to provide a regional transit connection, the majority of respondents wanted to see transit play a larger role in Gwinnett's transportation future. Regional Connectivity- Participants in the Gr8 Exchange also demonstrated a desire for regional connectivity. While there were many local amenities that were indicated as priorities, respondents were much more focused on improved access to areas all across Metro Atlanta. This showed the importance of planning transportation projects across jurisdictional boundaries and prioritizing the importance of projects aimed at enhancing regional connections. Convenience over Cost- While some would anticipate that cost would be the ultimate driving factor when prioritizing transportation enhancements, the results of the Gr8 Exchange show participants place a much higher priority on other factors; specifically, Page 4

5 convenience was number one. Cost was actually the least popular response, generally indicating that if a transportation solution is convenient, safe and reliable, participants are willing to pay for it. Land-use impacts: Some made the connection to land use decisions and felt more thought should be placed into the impact zoning decisions have on overall congestion. Many expressed concern with the pattern of approving developments farther from metro Atlanta s core. Some respondents even recognized that the distance of their home and work needed to be reduced. Additionally, many respondents recognized a desire for Gwinnett to have more live work - play developments that would reduce their total reliance on a car. Conclusion: In general, the residents and workers of Gwinnett consistently spoke to the need to address congestion so that it would improve their overall quality of life. The majority wanted more options for transportation with transit being the highest priority for most. Some would like to see more pedestrian and bicycle improvements. In general, it was apparent that the current levels of investment in alternative modes of transport significantly lag behind the public's demands. The overarching theme that consistently came up through various questions was that Gwinnett residents feel increasingly disconnected from their jobs and other destinations throughout Page 5

6 Atlanta. They want to be more connected to the city and region and want to have viable options for reaching those destinations. Page 6

7 Recommendations: Note: These recommendations are presented as a result of the comments from this initiative. These are simply ideas for community leaders and elected officials to consider in order to continue the dialogue on improving transportation in Gwinnett. These are not prioritized or all encompassing recommendations. Just possible next steps in looking forward to a successful future in Gwinnett County. Develop a short-term and long-term plan for transit expansion in Gwinnett, with priority on connecting existing employment centers and community assets in the County to Atlanta and other key destinations in the region. Improve existing transit service with higher frequency, expand routes, and improve customer service and facilities. Work with regional partners to improve connectivity for all modes of transportation across jurisdictional boundaries. Engage the community on a regular basis in developing and implementing a vision to help residents understand how each project undertaken plays into the bigger picture. Improve public input processes (including outreach to all demographics in the mode of communication that speaks to them) and provide citizens with more opportunities to engage in the transportation planning process. Prioritize addressing bottlenecks and synchronizing lights to improve traffic flow as part of a short term plan. Page 7

8 Improve transportation access to Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) and Gwinnett Technical College. Specifically, add a transit stop for GGC and more convenient access to transit at Gwinnett Tech.. Develop a marketing strategy with Georgia Gwinnett College and Gwinnett Technical College that outlines transit routes and connections for the students. Improve east/west connections (inside and outside of the county) Increase investment in pedestrian improvements. Develop pedestrian projects that are more than a basic connection, but an environment that is inviting and encourages walking. Develop a bicycle network in Gwinnett that provides safe viable connections for cyclists. Page 8

9 Methodology: In total, 4,166 individuals took part in the Gr8 Exchange survey. There were 2,705 who participated via text and 1,461 who took the survey online. A total of 25,978 individual texts were received, equating to 155 texts per hour across the seven complete days of the survey. There were just under 40,000 total responses for the text and online surveys combined. The following items should be noted: The initiative was aspirational in nature to encourage non-biased responses. Timelines for construction, jurisdictional complexities, and funding limits were intentionally omitted from the discussion. The overall initiative was not structured to be a scientific poll. Individuals responded to the survey voluntarily after hearing about the initiative through media, social media, or word of mouth. For each question, the following report will include the results of the survey with some basic analysis on the multiple choice questions. The survey questions that allowed for "other" or more description required a more nuanced approach to analyzing the data. In these cases, each individual response was read for overall content and categorized in order to have quantitative and qualitative value. For instance, when respondents were asked what their preferred mode of transport would be in an ideal world many responded that they wanted a combination of modes. Page 9

10 When asked to list their combination, each individual mode was broken out and counted to give a look at how many times each mode was a part of respondents preferred network. In some instances, a word cloud was the best way to represent the findings because there were such a broad array of responses. Specifically, when asked what three words they would use to describe Gwinnett in 25 years, the responses varied to such a degree that there was no way to statistically represent the findings. In this case the word cloud was used to indicate the relative frequency of usage for particular words. In this report, we attempt to summarize the findings for each individual question, synthesize specific recommendations for transportation improvements and provide insights based on the cumulative data. We also provide representative sample responses for each question. While many of the responses were general in nature, there were also many specific recommendations for transportation improvements around the County; those have been outlined in the Appendix. Page 10

11 Question 1) "Name a place you wish it was easier to get to." A. Work B. School C. Restaurants/shops D. Healthcare E. Atlanta F. Other The goal of this question was to better understand the daily travel patterns of Gwinnett residents and workers to help outline what types of infrastructure investments they may value most. By far, the two top answers for this question were "Work" and "Atlanta" with 39 and 35 percent respectively. In the "other" category, many noted that Atlanta and work were one in the same so it is fairly safe to say that there is some degree of overlap in the two statistical leaders for this question. The other most popular responses in the "other" category were: All of the above, Airport, Perimeter/North Fulton/Cobb County and better access for MARTA/transit. Based on general analysis of the results, Gwinnett residents and workers seemed to be focused on improving their commutes through major corridors that connect cross-county or regionally rather than an individual s local network or backyard. Page 11

12 Question 1. Sample Reponses: I-85 is a mess from Monday through Friday. Although my commute would be simpler to use it, I am forced to travel via alternate routes daily to avoid that traffic. Now, those surface roads are overwhelmed because there are many of those who try to do the same. All the good tech jobs are in Alpharetta. It's an HOUR each way on a good day by car. And it's slow and frustrating to get there If you ever watch channel 2 action news traffic report traffic is always a problem on 1-85 going into Atlanta very frustrating to commuters at this point Marta is a necessity It would nice if Marta had stations in Gwinnett so it would be easier to get down town and to the airport. I use Gwinnett County Paratransit through Gwinnett County Transit System however they don't go to Snellville and there are parts of Duluth like literally right around the corner from where I live where they don't service so I have to go way over to Lawrenceville rather than seeing a Doctor that is right around the corner from my house There are no public transportation options for students to get to or get from our college, Georgia Gwinnett College. It's impossible to go between Gwinnett and Cobb county or the Perimeter area, in an acceptable amount of time. For that matter, even from one side of Gwinnett to the other is a challenge. I frequently have to do all of that. Page 12

13 Question 2) In an ideal world, how would you like to get around in Gwinnett? A. Car B. on foot C. by bike D. by bus/train E. Combination of these When segmenting the data by people who only want to utilize a single mode of transport, the car is the most popular choice with 28% of the responses, followed by transit (13%), bike (4%) and foot (1%). Significantly, the vast majority (54%) of respondents indicated their desire for options in how they move around in Gwinnett. The approach to evaluating the combination responses was to analyze each individual response and to categorize all of the modes they identified. Each mode that was mentioned as a part of a respondent's combination was tracked Combination responses include... transit 76% car 50% walking 40% bike 34% individually and divided by the total number of combination responses to demonstrate what Page 13

14 percentage of combination responses included each mode. Transit was a part of 76 percent of those responses making it the most frequently used in a respondent's combination. The car was included in 50% of the combination responses and walking and biking were included in 40% and 34% respectively. When looking at all respondents (those who identified a single mode of preferred transport and those that favor a combination) it's clear that the majority of Gwinnettians want car and transit to be a part of the network. A main insight is that those who want only one mode transport believe that vehicular travel, by in large, is the only viable Total Mentions (Multi. Choice+Combination) Car total % Transit total % Foot total % Bike total % choice. For those that want options in their network, alternative modes like transit, walking and biking become much more viable and even preferable. Some who want transit understand that they may still have to drive to a station or walk/bike the final portion to reach their destination. It may be impractical, given the pattern of growth Gwinnett has experienced, to assume that vehicular transport will ever be surpassed as the main form of transportation in the county, but it is evident that residents and workers value choice in their individual transportation plans and feel that alternatives are the best way to alleviate congestion. Page 14

15 Question 2 Sample Responses: Far distances require a car but for local short distance would like to walk or bike Would prefer the ability to get places with trails, good sidewalks, and mass transit I'd love to bike or walk to the park or G-braves game (and could if there were sidewalks), but most of Gwinnett is too large for this connectivity. I prefer trains to busses when it comes to transportation, and I wish having a car was a luxury rather than a necessity. I would like to ride by car mostly but I am willing to take transit to help with congestion, air quality and frustration. Ideally I want a 35 min commute or less. That should be doable when I'm 30 miles from work and both my house and office are off the interstate I wish I could ride a train into the city and to work. But like having my car for weekends and errands The county is large and diverse. In the southern part of the county, there needs to be a combination of train/bus/bike and yes car. In the northern less dense areas, perhaps a main bus/rail line going down 85, 985, and 316. If we had train access, I would definitely drive/park at a central station and use public transportation around the county whenever possible. We are selling our home in Loganville to move to Suwanee or Johns Creek to live in a more walkable community (i.e. closer to work, restaurants, and better quality of life in general) Page 15

16 Question 3) What matters most to you when choosing a transportation solution? A. Cost B. Reliability C. Safety D. Convenience E. Other When selecting the factors that are most important, convenience was far and away the top priority receiving 50% of the responses followed by reliability and safety. Surprisingly, cost was the least popular choice indicating that if people recognize the immediate and personal benefit to a transportation improvementthey are willing to pay for it. The 6% of respondents who chose "other" had a variety of comments, but the majority (43%) were either "all of the above", "amount of time" or "environmental impact". Page 16

17 Question 3 Sample Reponses: The ability to choose precisely "when to leave," "where to go," and "what route to take Reliability, safety, and convenience all come into play. But so does...i'm not sure what to call it, but a sense of pleasure when you're in an interesting place. I'd rather spend 20 minutes walking through Inman Park to a restaurant than 10 minutes driving down an 8- lane arterial crowded with angry people resigned to spending hours a day in traffic. And a lot of people think the way I do: it's often more than convenience or reliability. It's an experience. It all matters! It needs to be safe, easy, and cost effective. Value, which encompasses cost, convenience, reliability, etc. I want a reliable, convenient way to get to work and other places in the county and would be willing to pay for those. As with most things in life, there is a trade off with cost. Avoiding traffic congestion Proximity to my home and destination. Environmental considerations of pollution and greenhouse gasses. Options and freedom to choose the best option for my needs. Waiting in stop& go traffic jams make it hard to support local businesses. You have to choose when & where to go based on traffic. Must be reliable as in ON TIME. Much of our transit in Atlanta area is within 5-10 minutes of being on time. That is unacceptable. Page 17

18 Question 4) How would better transportation help you? A. Access to quality jobs B. Lower my commute time C. Access to local destinations D. Other The purpose of this question was to better understand how people interact with the transportation network and how it could better support their lifestyle. When asked about how an improved transportation network would benefit individuals they most frequently cited reduced commute time, followed by access to local destinations. When looking at transportation improvements it is important to understand what citizens hope to get out of those projects and this question clearly demonstrates that projects aimed at alleviating drive-time congestion should be a top priority. The comments in the "other" category supported this as the majority referenced reduced stress and less time lost during commutes. Page 18

19 Question 4 Sample Comments: I am planning to leave Gwinnett to move to midtown. Driving from here to Atlanta to shop, go to restaurants, etc is a pain. My commute to midtown is a pain. A bus from the mall is okay but it gets caught in traffic too. Why we don't have rail out here is mystifying. Better airport access. With better transportation, economic growth happens. A way for me to multi-task. Work while traveling Improvement in health through exercise and cleaner air to breathe Increase my quality of life and build a stronger sense of community. Less stressful commute. Ability to attract a wider range of employees to work in Gwinnett. There are so many great places to see and visit in Gwinnett County but the traffic is so bad in many of those areas that it doesn't feel worth it to make the trip. I would love to see an improvement in that. Gwinnett IS GREAT More time with family. Page 19

20 Question 5) If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about transportation in Gwinnett, what would it be? As one of two questions prompting an open response, this question had the most variations in responses. Some recommended specific improvements (these will be included in the appendix) while others focused more on modes. In general the majority of responses fell into six categories: Transit improvement/expansion These were responses that specifically called for transit expansion or improvement of the existing system. As shown in the graph, this was the most frequent comment- making up 37% of all comments submitted. Some mentioned extending/connecting to MARTA while others mentioned a desire for rail service, but did not mention a specific operator. Some also indicated a desire to see the existing bus service improved and expanded. Page 20

21 Fix congestion/bottlenecks There were quite a few responses that simply said, fix congestion. Also, included in this category were recommendations for specific intersection improvements, light synchronization, etc- improvements that relieve roadway congestion, but do not actually add capacity. This was the second most popular category at 24%. Widen/extend roads These were recommendations that specifically called for the widening of existing roadways or some for building new roadways. A version of The Northern Arc was mentioned multiple times. Improve walkability This includes any comments that express a desire to walk more or specific pedestrian improvements, including sidewalks, greenways, and improved crossings. Safety was a high priority for improving walkability. Provide more options There were quite a few comments that simply said they wanted more reliable options outside of driving. They did not categorize what those options were so those comments were tracked separately. Improve bikeability This includes comments that express a desire to be able to bike more or any specific bicycle related projects. The ability to cycle safely and feel protected from vehicular traffic was a high priority. While the responses showed that residents had specific bottlenecks that they dealt with on a regular basis and where they would like to see improvement, the majority of respondents Page 21

22 wished to see improvements in alternative modes of transport with transit expansion and improvement being the leader. Page 22

23 Question 5 Sample Comments: Add a transit train down 85 to Atlanta Need more bike lanes Have the local buses run longer, seven days including holidays. More options than just cars Transit or light rail. We are not an island. We need to be connected to the economic hub of Atlanta. Less cars! Less traffic! Traffic lights synchronized Extend MARTA to the Mall of Georgia Wider roads before new growth approved. Not after congestion is unbearable. Outer loop and more lanes on 85 Traffic is terrible! Road expansion and traffic solutions More options! MARTA should've been in Gwinnett 20 years ago! Poor planning has now created a traffic nightmare! Being the largest county in the state outside of Fulton, Gwinnett needs to plan for the future instead chasing behind problems that could have been prevented. Stop waiting to see what others are doing and lead by example Mass transit!! Train and/or bus system that reaches to all parts of gwinnett and connects with the other metro areas. More east - west routes. There are not enough alternate routes. Page 23

24 Question 6) Thinking big: what three words would you like to describe Gwinnett in 25 years? The answers were so varied to this question that it was best to synthesize qualitative insights. The following are some of the most frequently used words in responding to this question: Accessible, Progressive, Safe, Convenient, Diverse, Friendly, Innovative, Connected, Beautiful, Modern, Green, Successful, Vibrant, Affordable, etc. Page 24

25 Question 7) Do you live/work in Gwinnett? The vast majority of respondents lived and worked in Gwinnett. Combining those in the Live and work category with those that only live in Gwinnett shows that 84% of Gr8 Exchange participants are residents of Gwinnett County. Almost 11% work in Gwinnett, but reside in another county. Page 25

26 Final Thoughts Overall, the survey demonstrates a shift in thinking about transportation in Gwinnett. The online survey allowed respondents to add additional comments after answering the final question. Many comments emphasized previous points made in the survey, but others commented on some changing trends not specifically mentioned in the survey questions. Desire for Input Some respondents offered to meet and share more thoughts. One suggested holding a town hall type meeting to solve transportation problems. Others indicated a desire to have a wider diversity of views taken into account. Overall, Gwinnettians expressed a desire for more voices to be heard in planning for transportation, as indicated in the following responses: As we move forward, it will be critical to include input for all sectors of the population. Transportation affects everyone, from people who do not struggle with it to those who can't even access it, and input from every voice will be critical to developing a strategy that may actually work. Gwinnett is remarkable in its diversity, which means any solution that is meant to serve the region (transportation or otherwise) must be built to serve diverse needs. For the County Leaders reading this, I realize the issue of transportation is a huge one and one that comes with a lot of moving parts to address, and is not an easy challenge. With this said, I still truly hope that this information, the data and opinions from the folks Page 26

27 who live and or work in Gwinnett, is feedback that is put to good use to make this County a quality place to live and work in. Changing Demands Whether young or old, respondents indicated that their needs and desires for transportation involve having alternatives to driving. This desire cuts across age groups, including single young adults, families with children, and seniors, indicating this is not just a trend of the millennial generation. Some representative responses include the following: Most people my age (early 20s) hate spending most of their day commuting in cars. I think if Gwinnett wants to look towards the future it has to embrace alternative and convenient forms of public transportation, including Marta and walking paths. My wife and I with our two kids moved to the OLD Fourth Ward in Atlanta last year to get away from the traffic and sprawl problems of living in suburbia. Our friends from Gwinnett come and visit our new neighborhood and are shocked how convenient and bike-walk friendly the city can be. They all want to move in. The world is changing and Gwinnett is going to get left behind. My husband and I have lived in Gwinnett for 30 years. Please make it easier for us to get around in our community so that we will want to stay here and continue to make this a great place to live. We've traveled extensively to other cities in the country and world that make mass transit and walkable living a priority. It's always hard to come home to an area that does not embrace these qualities at all. These things need to be a priority. Page 27

28 Appendix: While the survey included many general comments that were summarized in the previous pages such as: Expand transit (rail and bus) Reduce congestion on major corridors/synchronize traffic signals Add more lanes on major corridors Remove HOT lanes Some of the respondents included specific comments and/or suggestions to the transportation network that are indicated below. Specific Transportation Comments on Gwinnett: Bicycle Infrastructure I am a bike rider and would love more bike paths...not bike lanes on a highway. PIB is a perfect example of a safe bike, jog, walk in safety walkway. A wide path and protected by a curb from traffic. Would love to see bike lanes. I live in Dacula at Hamilton Mill! There are no bike lanes! It is sometimes scary watching bikers navigate these roads! Bicycle lanes!! Or even better, separate bicycle paths that parallel major streets More bike paths, and signage for our bike paths. I see cyclists frequently riding in the street when there is a designated bike path that would be safer for them. However, they may not realize it is for bikes because there is no indication other than the fact that it is a very wide, blacktop-paved sidewalk. Also, the bike paths randomly end in various places. To have reliable and convenient bike paths would help tremendously. Those that want to bike, but are afraid of getting hit by a car, can have more confidence on a bike path. Fewer drivers would fear hitting a cyclist. Going to work, home, the doctor, shopping, etc. would all be a lot simpler if you didn't have to fight with the obstacles of a dead-end path. Page 28

29 Safer roads with safe bike lanes. Even the roads with bike lanes today are scary because they are to close to high speed traffic. Buford Highway Simply put there need to be more cross streets. There are stretches of multiple miles where once you are on them there is no chance to get off them leading to back ups. Between McGiniss Ferry Rd and Sugarloaf Blvd on Buford Highway. While I Have not actually tracked it I am sure it is probably at least 5 miles where if there is an accident you are stuck there since there are no cross streets. To go along with no cross streets there are several roads that need to be expanded. Once again Buford Highway (sorry my main experience is there) Why is it two lanes all the way through Duluth but then one lane north of 120 all the way to Lawrenceville-Suwanee in Suwanee? Two more lanes would eliminate rush hour congestion. The same with Peachtree Industrial Blvd just north of Sugarloaf. Everyday rush hour we sit backed up for no reason other than that the road goes from 3 lanes to 2. Extending the third lane all the way to McGiniss Ferry would help eliminate congestion Five Forks Trickum Better timing of lights and more turn lanes on Five Forks Trickum Road Georgia Gwinnett College Both of my kids go to Georgia Gwinnett College. Why isn't there a bus route that includes this school? There are 12,000 students at this school this year. It would help with traffic, parking, etc. More public transportation to Georgia Gwinnett college There needs to be a link from GGC to downtown and other areas of interest in Lawrenceville. Page 29

30 Georgia Gwinnett College. And there is no bus that comes to the school. That should change. I have had to walk from the Chick fil A on Duluth Hwy to the school Gwinnett County Public Schools Comments The places that seem to have most of the local problems are: Any place that schools need to exit onto main roads with traffic lights. Here are to examples, 1. Moon Road onto SR124. Since they changed the intersection the conditions have been slowed down. School buses and cars will back up to Old Snellville and few will get through the light. The other place is on Old Snellville Road onto Sugarloaf Parkway. Both location could use a better right turn lane to help clear some of the backups. Improved access to Mill Creek High School Build sidewalks along every road, especially main arteries, so kids could walk safely to school and get the kids parents off the road. Kids regularly being driven to school by parents is the main cause of congestion in Gwinnett. There aren't even sidewalks in the vicinity of Norton Elementary School! Stop building schools on major thoroughfares. Don't build new schools on Ga20 or Sugarloaf Parkway. It would be nice for it to be safe for kids and families to walk to school (e.g. bridge walk over Sugarloaf at Cedar Hill Elementary/Richards Middle School) When building new schools, please think about the roads that schools are going to be on BEFORE the school is finished. Don't wait until several years after the school is opened to fix the roads. It has been a nightmare with traffic when the roads are single lanes around schools that just open up. Plan ahead and widen roads for turning lanes, etc. It will make everything a lot easier for everyone involved. I live near Mill Creek High School, and during school arrival and departure hours, I can barely get out of my neighborhood! There are only 2 lane roads leading to it, and my neighborhood could definitely benefit from a simple left turn lane to Page 30

31 keep the traffic flowing. As it is, it totally backs up and literally risk your own life trying to get out sometimes! Gwinnett Tech More busses to Gwinnett Tech for students in parts of the county not currently served on a bus line. We need greater access to education destinations in Gwinnett. Buses that connect from hwy 78 to Georgia Gwinnett and Gwinnett tech Highway 78 Bring Marta through Lawrenceville up to Buford and make US 78 limited access through Snellville. Holcomb Bridge Road Timing on the lights. Ex Holcomb Bridge and Spalding. The left turn lane from Spalding to Holcomb Bridge gets blocked by people going straight, but the left turn signal goes first. If the straight went first then those turning left could get to the lane. Fix the light synchronization in Norcross so Holcomb Bridge traffic and Ptree Indl traffic isn't so backed up. Longer green lights & left turn arrows on Holcomb Bridge Rd. In Norcross. roads like holcomb bridge should be safer to walk across I-85 More lanes I-85 to and from Atlanta. Open back up toll lanes to public. Causes more congestion. Extend the on ramp lane from Old Peachtree onto I-85N all the way to the L'ville Suwanee Exit. The bottleneck created at that on ramp causes the WORST traffic jam in the afternoon Page 31

32 Direct exit lane to L'ville Suwanee from the Old P'tree/Sugarloaf area heading 85NB or more entrances into the Peach Pass lane on 85NB from Pleasant Hill to L'ville Suwanee Build Exit off I 85 at Hwy 324 Have an off-ramp between Exits 115 and 120 that gives better access to Gravel Springs Rd and Braselton Highway. Make I-85 6 lanes wide from I-285 to Commerce. Interchange at Gravel Springs Road NOW! Indian Trail Road Need a traffic signal put in front of ABBOTS GLEN apartments on indian trail road...before someone has a bad accident it's a dangerous road I would also like to say that the u-turn situation at Beaver Ruin and Indian Trail is crazy! When turning right onto Indian Trail from Beaver Ruin, there is a yield sign. I think that having a green arrow and a yield sign together gives simultaneous opposite instructions. Please ditch the yield sign. Jimmy Carter Boulevard The intersection of Williams Road and Jimmy Carter does not have a left turn signal at this intersection and this is certainly needed. We need a flashing light at Jimmy Carter/Williams Rd/Omaha Drive The diamond exchange off of jimmy carter blvd has not improved the traffic. Eliminate people blocking exit lane at Jimmy Carter Bld from 85 S Mall of Georgia Area Poor traffic light synchronizing near the Mall of Georgia I hwy 20 & mall of GA, and work at coolray field not safe to ride a bike and traffic is awful. Ivy creek greenway doesn't connect And who was the genius that decided to copy Pleasant Hill Rd. when designing traffic patterns for the Mall of Georgia? If ever there was a use for access roads Page 32

33 in combination with limited access main thruway, that would the area (including SR20 heading towards Buford. I wouldn't mind walking to the mall from my house (to the Mall of Georgia) or to the Grocery store, bot there are no sidewalks and the timing for the lights to get across Buford drive is to short Please build a ramp from I 85 south to I 985 north (and reverse). The traffic congestion at the Mall of Georgia is rediculous. Buford Drive in Buford (Mall of Georgia) needs to be four-laned, with 55 MPH speed limits. Old Peachtree Road Properly expand Old P'tree Rd between Horizon Drive to the right hand turn to Collins Hill. A expansion of about 100 feet. Extend the on ramp lane from Old Peachtree onto I-85N all the way to the L'ville Suwanee Exit. The bottleneck created at that on ramp causes the WORST traffic jam in the afternoon. Old Peachtree Rd. and Cedar Dr. in Lawrenceville has a fairly recent traffic light addition, in the morning one car may trip the light so that they can turn on Old P'tree and in doing so force cars to stop. A well designed roundabout would keep traffic flowing Old Peachtree Road from Dacula to Duluth needs to be 6 lanes. Peachtree Industrial Boulevard Fix the lights on the access rd for Peachtree Industrial so that if I'm headed south and trying to turn right on Winters Chapel, it doesn't take 20 minutes The speed limit on Peachtree industrial blvd would be increased from 45mph between Duluth and Suwanee. It's totally stupid to be on a two lane road and be moving so slow. This obviously is just for revenue purposes not traveler consideration Page 33

34 Correct the hideous timing on the traffic lights - specifically at McGinnis Ferry and Peachtree Industrial - it causes traffic problems. Better timing on traffic lights or better intersection design at the intersection of Spalding and 141. The way Spalding backs up every weekday after work should be a simple solution of light timing and earlier left turn lane access, but it never changes. In many cases all that is needed is having earlier legal access to the left hand turn lanes instead of giving tickets to those who choose to move over instead of being stuck in a long line of traffic while there is an existing middle lane. create an on ramp from Peachtree industrial Blvd. to I285 EB Settles Bridge Road Re-Open up settles bridge road from Johnson road to Moore road Better, more efficient roads; go back to more bridges across the Chattahoochee. What happened to Settles Bridge, Rogers Bridge and Jones Bridge. A 2 lane Abbotts bridge was fine in the 1950's but it sure as heck doesn't cut it now. More limited access roads. Sidewalks Sidewalk on Pucket in Lilburn from 78 to Mountain Park Park (If I only get to choose one thing). If two, then the expansion of Marta Rail up 85 and out 78 through Gwinnett. Would love sidewalks leading to the Gary Pirkle park and the parks on Lake Lanier. I live in a neighbor hood less than a mile away from both on Suwanee Dam Road. Sidewalk on the road would be great I live close enough to walk/bike to Rabbit Hill Park, Publix and several restaurants, but if I do, I risk my life on roads with no sidewalks, no bike lanes, pedestrian paths or even a shoulder. A lot more pedestrian friendly - convenient crosswalks with lights, more sidewalks, well lighted, and safe Page 34

35 Sidewalks don't connect anything. You should have higher density QUALITY developments that are walkable to live work and play. The problem in Gwinnett is that the developments that get approved are in the middle of nowhere and connect to nothing. The landscaping is usually poor at best and it doesn't look appealing. Connecting dining, shopping, apartments, town homes and single family residences to each other with sidewalks and green space would definitely be a move in the right direction. I'm tired of strip mall after strip mall. SR 20 Additional lanes on 20 between 316 and 985. Finish the widening project on Hwy 20 in buford/sugar hill area. Higher speed limit on hwy 20 going from Lawrenceville to Grayson. Relieve the congestion/back-up on Hwy 20 westbound to Exit 115/mall of Ga. And intersection (all directions) of Woodward mill (costco) Hwy 20 southbound out of Lawrenceville (heading toward US 78 in Loganville) backs up pretty bad in the afternoons between Park Place and Rosebud. Could some better signal timing help in this area? Or some intersection improvements? Hwy 20 also backs up northbound going through Grayson. Could better management of the school traffic help flow in this area? Or maybe some signal timing adjustments? Increase lanes on GA 20 toward Loganville to multi lanes all the way to GA 10 SR 29 Widen 29 hwy between Dacula and Lawrenceville Turn hwy 29 into a divided hwy SR 120 Widen 120 between PIB and 141 Widen hwy 120 from Duluth to I 85 Page 35

36 Where Old Norcross dead ends into Hwy 120 (Pike Street) make 2 right turn lanes onto Pike instead of 2 left turn lanes. Traffic backs up terribly there in the evenings and there is very little traffic turning left. Not sure why they ever made 2 left turn lanes. SR 124 The intersection of Hamilton Mill Parkway and 124 is a bear. The turn signal coming into Hamilton Mill from Publix is too short!! Hwy 124 from Hwy 20 to Hamilton Mill Road is congested SR 141 I would like to see a better timing of the lights along 141 and other major intersections. I've read about cities that have traffic lights that adjust with traffic volumes to create a better flow. It seems that certain lights have traffic congested while other sections of 141 flow fine. I use Highway 141 that has a dedicated bicycle lane until I cross the river into Gwinnett County and then the designated bicycle lane markings disappear. Gwinnett needs those lane markings. SR 316 Need to make 316 limited access Widen 316 by 2 lanes each side all the way to Athens. No stop lights on hwy 316 OR time the lights so that 7am traffic and 5pm traffic have the right away. Cedars road off of 316 ALWAYS goes out when it rains causing chaos. And even Harbins road is impossible. I would finish the stretch of 316 that has been being worked on for what feels like decades. Get it done already Widen Hwy. 316 from 85 to at least Harbins Rd. Page 36

37 SR 324 Complete 4 lane on all of Ga 324 Widen GA 324 from GA 124 to Barrow county and install right and left turn lanes at all in sections. Traffic routinely backs up 1/2 mile or more and could be eliminated if the road was widen allowing two lanes to cross 124 instead of the current single lane. Steve Reynolds Boulevard The most stupid traffic engineering is on Steve Reynolds Blvd. If you exit I-85 Northbound onto Steve Reynolds Blvd. and turn left, the 1st left turn (I-85 Southbound) has two left turn lanes, the Next left turn (Venture Blvd - the busiest intersection) has only ONE left turn lane, and the next intersection (Satellite Blvd) has two left turn lanes. Please convert the right thru lane at Venture Drive (which turns into a left turn lane at Satellite Blvd) into a second left turn lane for Venture Blvd, as you have the space and the lanes to do it. This would resolve huge backups and waits to turn left onto Venture Blvd.!! Please add the 2nd left turn lane on Steve Reynolds Blvd. turning onto Venture Drive! Sugarloaf Extension/East West Connector/Outer Loop/Northern Arc Create a northern arc connecting I85 to I75 Complete the east west connector. Sugarloaf extension/northern arc A limited access cross-county Xway to N Fulton and Forsyth Counties Connect the top of I-85 in Gwinnett to I-75 and 400. Almost like a second I-285. It's counterproductive to funnel all connecting traffic back down I-85S so it bottle necks at spaghetti junction. A northern arc to connect 85, 400, and 75. So many people are trying to get from one interstate to another via 285 and it's just crazy. I feel like a northern arc would allow people from the northern suburbs to cut across more efficiently and reduce the traffic on 285. Page 37

38 Sugarloaf Parkway Sugarloaf parkway. For one thing, the traffic lights are not in sync which causes a lot of unnecessary congestion. Adding a Marta train option - not more busses. And a cross walk over Sugarloaf for walkability/safety to schools and other venues close by (Wal-Mart, Publix, restaurants) On main roads like Sugarloaf, you should have a turning lane in the middle lane all the way from Scenic Hwy to 316. Also have right turn exit lanes starting further back on major roads, like start them maybe a quarter mile before the turn. Lastly on 85 more lanes, maybe flex lanes, everyone can't afford a peach pass. Lastly if you allow Marta to put a train station out here, this will solve half your problems. Suwanee Dam Road Suwanee Dam Road needs to be widened Put a light at Ramey Rd and Suwanee Dam Rd in sugar hill Transit Gwinnett County Express Service i wish the 408 express bus ran more often I'm riding GCT express bus to downtown Atlanta, and the reliability of the service should be improved: on-time arrival at bus stations and not skipping the scheduled arrivals at stations. Make route 101 every 20 minutes. It was 15 then went to 20 and now it's 30. Traffic becomes a nightmare in 10 minutes. More people would ride this bus and not drive to sugar loaf where it's very crowded. It would be nice if there was an express bus deal for students. 10$ a day is really steep Page 38

39 One huge concern is the Gwinnett Transit Express buses are extremely cold. They need to make the temperature more moderate/comfortable based on the temperature outdoors at any given time. Need more bike carriers on route 103 The GCT Express and GRTA Xpress bus systems are exceptional and should continue to receive strong support from Gwinnett County as alternative forms of transit. I would advise a media campaign to illustrate the benefits of these options. Safety, comfort, and community are words I use to characterize my experience. I regularly work on my laptop during my bus commute with no fear of theft. I would add an express bus route or train between Midtown Atlanta and southeast Gwinnett (Lilburn/Snellville/Stone Mtn). Transit Gwinnett County Local Service I prefer using public transportation, but it doesn't run very late (not at all on Sundays) and the stops aren't located in convenient location so you can get to many places that would be convenient. It doesn't even go to Lawrenceville- Suwanee. There also needs to be better integration with the MARTA lines so that its easier to get to Atlanta or Marietta or Norcross. Right now you can to those places, but it takes hours to do so. An express line through Lawrenceville to either the Chamblee or Doraville Marta stations would much more convenient and effective. There are very few "bus shelters" in my part of Gwinnett County. People have to stand out in the weather to wait for a bus. That discourages people from using public transportation. Having the buses run on Sunday and later than 9:00 at night. It makes it hard to find jobs that will adhere to bus schedules to get me to and from. More public transit with wifi Page 39

40 I would love to see the current GCT expanded south to Snellville. Otherwise, I typically have to drive down to Stonecrest Mall in Lithonia, just to connect to MARTA. To be able to track the bus from a app on my phone like Marta's app Make buses more accessible/frequent and run later in the evening. Connecting from Marta is harder right now. Routes end too soon in evening. Need more Weekend routes, too. The unreliability of Gwinnett County Transit -- 1)old, unreliable buses that break down often, 2)limited routes, and 3)an overwhelming inability to operate on schedule and not consistently run late almost daily Make Gwinnett Transit compatible with Marta (as in breeze cards and transfers). For GCT, Marta breeze card trips don't work, only stored value on the breeze cards work. Marta is x better than GCT. Transit Improvements Regional Connections/Expansion Gwinnett has long needed to be part of Marta. The entire metro area needs to be part of a single Transit Authority. The separate county systems are a failure. I love going to Atlanta and would gladly ride a Marta train if available. By the time I drive to DeKalb I might as well keep going in my car. In my opinion there could should be lines running parallel to the Buford Hwy - I85 corridor extending to the Mall of Ga. I would also have a line extending along Hwy 78 to Snellville. I would then have a cross county line from Snellville through Lawrenceville with a station near the Gwinnett Govt facility and then connect to the North South line along I85. If done right this cross county line could extend into the North DeKalb area stations that go up in the 400 area. We would then have an "outer perimeter" of transit lines going from South Gwinnett to North DeKalb with easy access to the Atlanta lines. Gwinnett Transit should merge with Marta to help create a regional route system that crosses county borders, and better coordinated access to rail. The NE Marta line should be extended to its original intended locations: Gwinnett Place Page 40

41 Mall, Sugarloaf Mills, and possibly even Mall of Georgia. Sidewalks need to be improved and constructed along major (and minor) roadways that attract foot traffic that is in danger without them. Have marta extended up into Gwinnett. Stops at 85-jimmy carter, 85-Indian trail a split to lilburn from indian trail. Then 85-beaver ruin, 85- pleasnthill, a split a 316 with one going to 316- duluth hwy the other to The last stop at mall of Georgia The expansion of MARTA from Doraville up through Gwinnett via Buford Highway along the existing railroad corridor serving the historic rail towns up to the City of Buford or an alignment paralleling I-85 in a light rail technology. It doesn't have to be a heavy rail option from Doraville nor MARTA in name/ownership...commuter rail if LRT is not viable. Funding would be primarily through a sales tax on fuel/hotel utilization and other user taxes. I would add a light rail system throughout the county (mainly up I-85 to the Mall of GA with a branch out GA-316) that connects with the MARTA system in Doraville and has an extension towards Athens that those counties could connect to. This would be local to Gwinnett county, controlled by the local government, and thus the revenue and jobs to operate would remain in the county. Page 41