Gwinnett Daily Post

SUWANEE -- Projects that could have been funded by the passing of last week's transportation referendum will remain on their planned schedule.

Because the city's budget didn't include any of the potential $3.5 million that would have come from voters passing the T-SPLOST, plans won't change.

City Manager Marty Allen said passing the T-SPLOST would have "expanded our funding source" and accelerated some projects, but the city council didn't plan on it for any budget.

On Tuesday, 63 percent of metro Atlanta voters rejected the tax, which would have added a 1 percent tax to goods to raise $8.5 billion over 10 years to fund 157 road projects. More than 70 percent of Gwinnettians voted no.

The only Gwinnett County project in the city of Suwanee on the list is the $5.5 million project to reconstruct Buford Highway from George Pierce Park to McGinnis Ferry Road.

Suwanee officials have outlined at least 45 road, intersection or sidewalk projects that it hopes to complete in stages and categories, by 2015, 2030 and beyond. City officials said many of those projects would still be completed, but they would remain with their existing funding plans, such as the $3.3 million grant the city received last year from the Atlanta Regional Commission, which would pay for part of the Buford Highway project.

Two city council members who expressed support for the T-SPLOST before Tuesday's vote said the outcome of the vote was unfortunate.

"It could have done a lot of good," Councilman Doug Ireland said. "We'll get to everything, we just won't get to it as fast. It would have done a lot."

Mayor Jimmy Burnette agreed.

"There were a lot of great projects on there that would help the region move forward," he said.

Before the vote last week, Burnette said the T-SPLOST-funded projects would clear congestion to travel east and west.

Burnette is among those now looking for a Plan B, although he said he doesn't see the private sector playing a role in funding.

"Some of the sidewalks, and crossing improvements are going to have to wait for other funding," he said.