Atlanta Mayor Targets MARTA Expansion into Cobb and Gwinnett in Second Term

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who just won re-election to a second term, says he will push to expand MARTA service into Cobb and Gwinnett counties as a centerpiece of his second-term agenda.

In an interview with WSB-TV’s Richard Elliot, Dickens said the region is ready to “go kind of regional,” noting that public concerns have shifted from crime toward transportation. He argued that demonstrating MARTA’s safety and reliability could help persuade suburban voters who have previously rejected expansion.

Dickens acknowledged political headwinds in both counties, where resistance to joining MARTA has a long history. Still, he said his landslide victory on Nov. 4 gives him momentum to pursue broader transit partnerships and funding.

“I’m so grateful that, you know, 85% of Atlantans said you’re heading in the right direction,” Dickens told the station, framing the result as a mandate for transit, housing and public safety priorities. He also pledged to advance affordable housing, reduce homelessness and improve youth graduation rates while maintaining a focus on crime prevention.

Any expansion would require buy-in from Cobb and Gwinnett leaders and, ultimately, voter approval. Dickens said he plans to make the case that regional transit is essential to economic growth and to relieving congestion.