MARTA began operations in 1979, making it one of the newer major transit systems in the United States. The system was built following a 1971 referendum where Atlanta, Fulton County, and DeKalb County voters approved a 1% sales tax to fund MARTA. The first rail line opened between Avondale and Five Points, and the system gradually expanded to form a cross-shaped network with north-south and east-west lines. MARTA serves as the backbone of Atlanta's public transportation system, connecting major destinations including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Downtown Atlanta, Midtown, Buckhead, and Decatur.