On the other side of the debate, Councilman Charles R. Samuels, 2nd District, opposed the project, and Reva M. Trammell, 8th District, abstained.

“This is a good first start. However, we’re not getting to where the jobs are with this program,” Samuels said, adding that a majority of his constituents have made it clear they don’t support the project.

Trammell made a similar point.

“I wanted more time so we could put in the Jefferson Davis corridor and the Broad Rock corridor that I represent,” said Trammell. “I feel like my district, the poorest of the poor, did not get included.”

GRTC Transit System says construction could begin as early as April this year with the service operational in October 2017.

The line will run from Willow Lawn to Rocketts Landing along Broad and Main streets. GRTC says it will halve transit time along the corridor using a mixture of dedicated lanes, coordinated traffic signals and off-board ticketing. The agency will run buses every 10 minutes during peak travel times and every 15 minutes during off-peak hours.

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