Background: Overall, I’m quite satisfied with how well Suwanee is administered. My family loves being here, and I feel that the mayor and council members are doing a great job. However, to advance Suwanee, Gwinnett, and Atlanta to the next level we really need to address transportation. As far as I am concerned, this is the issue. I sent each of the 2025 candidates for city council, the following email (abbreviated), and here are their responses.
[I commuted to NYC for 5 years, and their transportation is awesome] … I’m disappointed that the Atlanta area suffers from such poor public transportation. Our region would be so much better if we only had rail connecting us to Atlanta and her suburbs. In my view, making that happen is the most important contribution our local leaders can make.
Can you tell me your opinions on this? And concretely, what have you done (and what will you do) to advance Suwanee’s, Gwinnett’s and Atlanta’s transportation infrastructure?
Linnea Miller (incumbent, Post 3):
I apologize for the delay in getting back to you with my response. I’m sure you can imagine that it’s been a really busy season. Thank you for your service on our ZBA, and for your concern regarding a topic that affects all of us on a daily basis… mobility, more specifically transportation infrastructure. I like to think about this topic under the broader framework of mobility because every person in Suwanee and our region has a real need to get from here to there, and most are frustrated on a daily basis with traffic congestion, and the limited options our region has to move around the 23k people in Suwaee, the one million people in Gwinnett and the more than 6 million in the ATL metro area.
As a municipal leader, representing Suwanee, I like to first prioritize mobility solutions that are within our local control. This includes planning for and funding sidewalks, bike lanes, greenways, etc. The City has currently undertaken a study with funding from the ARC called the “Suwanee Loop Study”. This plan identifies gaps and opportunities to better connect the community using our existing infrastructure and identifying future projects that would enhance connectivity throughout the city. We are also intentional with planning for local roads and connections wherever possible. We require new development in Suwanee to enhance the city’s connectivity through creating local connectors in neighborhoods and larger business developments, while also providing sidewalks and other amenities that enhance the local community’s ability to travel throughout the city. We also identify road improvement projects that enhance traffic flow where possible.
Next I like to think about partnerships. These partnerships with Gwinnett County and the State of Georgia are crucial to tackling the more complex and bigger issues related to mobility. We have a great partnership with Gwinnett County DOT, and we often work with them to do joint projects throughout the city. These include improvements to sidewalks and roads and signaling along the county streets and collectors in the city. We work with the State on funding and undertaking projects such as the “Better Buford Hwy” and interstate improvements, most recently the 85 McGinnis Ferry ramp that is currently under construction. We always advocate for more projects and more expediency in implementation, but sometimes these improvements take years to implement.
This leads to the topic that I think is the main concern of your inquiry, and that is public transportation or transit. As I mentioned earlier, the metro area has more than 6 million people, and Gwinnett has 1 million alone. We need more and better public transportation options. We currently have a county-run bus route and limited paratransit. I believe that Suwanee & Sugar Hill are next on the county’s list for micro transit. Some of the planned funding for that would’ve come from an approval of the county’s last transit referendum, and when that failed I think it has slowed some planned implementation. I am interested in reaching out to the county to learn when and where we are on bringing micro transit to Suwanee because I think it would be a well used resource for many including seniors in the city. Speaking of the transit referendum, as you know it failed by a narrow margin. Frankly, that was disappointing to me. In 2019 & 2020 I served on the Gwinnett County Transit Committee where we studied and made recommendations to the county that influenced the county’s approach to the transit plan. That plan had the unfortunate timing of coming before the public in a referendum during the pandemic. The county then revised and adopted a new plan for which funding through a SPLOST referendum also failed in 2024. I believe that we need to continue to work toward a dedicated funding source that we can get public support for to fund public transportation and transit. We need to consider everything from our relationship to MARTA and the public’s concerns regarding cost, safety and experience. We need to also consider diverse transit modalities like Bus Rapid Transit, and new & emerging technologies like high-speed rail, as these infrastructure improvements often take years or decades to implement. Our county leadership recognizes the need, and I respect that they continue to work hard toward the goal of providing better public transportation while continuing to try to win public support.
Personally, I serve in regional and state leadership roles with Gwinnett Municipal Association, and specifically on the Legislative Policy Council which allows me to advocate with our state legislators on broad topics, transportation being one of our focus areas. Lastly, Suwanee is currently undertaking a long-term strategic planning initiative called, Vision 2040. We are inviting the community to participate in citizen roundtables so that their input can shape our 15 planning horizon. Sign ups have been extended until November 5. We’d love to have at least 300 people participate. I hope you’ll consider this opportunity. These plans are critical to guiding leadership decision-making for elected officials and our staff.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to share my perspective, experience and leadership on the topic of mobility. Please feel to reach out with any further questions. I’m always happy to be of assistance.
In service,
Brittany Wolfe (challenger, Post 3):
Thank you for reaching out. I couldn’t agree more with you regarding our metropolitan area’s failed attempt at a robust public transportation system, after living in DC and San Francisco myself and traveling to Europe many times I have also come to admire and long for the systems they have in place.
In order to get that here in Suwanee we would of course need to connect Marta up here, I understand it has been a project under consideration, however I do not know enough details on the project to be able to tell you what my support of it would look like. I would first need to understand costs that would be placed on our citizens, traffic impacts for building it, etc. I am by no means saying I am against it, but you have my word that if elected I would push for proper research to see what is possible and what it would take to make it happen.
Your question on what have I done – nothing yet as this is my first time running for office. Another thing I believe we can do better with though is connecting sidewalks for better pedestrian traffic around our city and at least providing more local buses, especially for the elderly.
Hope this helps and I’m happy to chat via phone anytime. Thanks again for reaching out and I hope to gain your support!
Beth Hilscher (incumbent, Post 4):
Thank you for reaching out. I almost missed your message –you’re the first person who’s contacted me (I assume through my website). Thank you also for your service on the Zoning Board of Appeals. I imagine you saw much more activity on the ZBA back in the mid-2000s than the board sees today. Regarding our lack of rail transportation, I don’t disagree with your sentiment. Georgia is way behind the eight ball when it comes to regional transportation. Like you, I’ve used public rail transportation in major cities and the high quality European rail systems. Unfortunately, our region hasn’t kept pace and we’re feeling the consequences. While my own commute is fantastic, I can sometimes ride my bike to the office, the lack of regional transportation often makes me think twice about heading into Atlanta for events or meetings. The region’s plan for Bus Rapid Transit routes is a start, but expanded rail service would be far superior. With advancing technology, I’m hopeful that high-speed rail projects, like the proposed Atlanta-to-Charlotte line (with a stop through Athens, now under GDOT study) and others like it will eventually become a reality.
With regard to your question about my direct actions, I’ve served in regional roles to ensure Suwanee’s voice remains part of the broader transportation conversation. I currently serve on both the Gwinnett Municipal Association Executive Board and the Explore Gwinnett Board of Directors. Our Mayor, who also serves as Vice President of the Georgia Municipal Association, sits on multiple GMA policy committees, and Councilmember Linnea Miller serves on the Gwinnett Transit Advisory Board (among other regional boards and committees). I’ve also supported preserving the Suwanee Station rail corridor and ensuring the City remains competitive in securing transportation-related and community improvement grants. We are actively involved in regional transportation discussions (all while holding full-time jobs outside of City Council–none of these board positions are paid positions) and we’re committed to ensuring that Suwanee holds an important seat at the table. Personally, I’m also committed to continuing my education and staying informed on trends, technologies, and best practices related to these and other city matters.
Finally, while I tend to lean more conservatively regarding public spending, I do believe that partnerships and investment in long-term transportation improvements are essential to the City’s continued success. Fortunately, Suwanee has an exceptional professional staff who ensure we maximize every funding opportunity available. They truly are one of the best teams in the state and it’s one of the primary reasons I wish to continue serving on Council. I know what we have and I don’t want to risk losing it under contrary leadership.
One last thing…our City is currently undergoing a long-term master planning initiative and is seeking community participation in roundtable discussions with other residents to help shape Suwanee’s vision for the next 15 years. I’d encourage you to consider participating. It’s not a long-term commitment — just a few roundtable sessions where your perspective and experience would be very valuable.
Here’s the link to sign up if you’re interested: Suwanee 2040 Strategic Plan | Suwanee, GA
Thank you again for your message. If you have any other questions about my priorities or reasons for seeking re-election, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
David Martinez (challenger, Post 4):
I appreciate your questions. Please give me a call so I may address your concerns.
[I was able to speak to Mr. Martinez on the phone on the issue. His view is that he supports improving transportation options for Suwanee, but he wants to be sure they make sense economically.]
Ted Rollins (challenger, Post 4):
No response as of October 29, 2025.
Pete Charpentier (incumbent, Post 5):
Appreciate your email and I understand your comments. I have also traveled to NYC and other cities in Europe with considerable mass transit.
I actually also commuted downtown to NCR for several years.
The City of Suwanee added a bus line last year to provide connectivity to the Gwinnett County transit system. In addition, there was a Gwinnett County transportation referendum presented to voters last year. It was a comprehensive program that did not pass. There are also Gwinnett County commuter buses that run today from select locations and travel downtown.
I personally am in favor of transportation options that could alleviate traffic and provide options as long as they make sense financially. I work with Gwinnett County and provide input regarding needs. Suwanee does not have any direct mass transit options as we rely on county and state options.
T. Nicole Linder (challenger, Post 5):
No response, but to be fair, I don’t even know how to contact her. I’m unable to find a contact address for her. She does not seem to have an internet footprint. Happy to reach out if you can connect me.
Tucker Richard Balch 