The first segment of the PATH400 trail through Buckhead officially opened for walking and bicycling on Jan. 9.
A crowd of more than 80 business and government officials attended the opening, donning bright green hand-made scarves for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the “Buckhead wall” on Lenox Road.
“This is one of the most remarkable adaptive re-use programs in America,” Atlanta City Councilman Howard Shook said the trail, which is being built alongside Ga. 400 with much of the trail in Georgia Department of Transportation right-of-way.
The first segment of the trail stretches for about one-half mile, from Old Ivy Road to Lenox Road. It cost about $2.5 million to built, with money for the project raised through Livable Buckhead, a nonprofit group that says it works “to integrate into everyday life and business sustainable strategies that improve the environment and quality of life in the community.”
A second half-mile-long segment is scheduled to open in 2015. No final cost has been set for that segment, Livable Buckhead representatives said.
When complete, the trail is to run about 5.2 miles and is projected to cost $10 million to $12 million. It will connect 27 neighborhoods spread from the northern edge of Buckhead to the north end of Morningside, Livable Buckhead says. More than 8,000 people live within a 10-minute walk of the trail, the nonprofit says.
A public opening for the trail is scheduled for Jan. 24, starting at 11 a.m. The community event is to include a bicycle parade, a bike-decorating contest and the unveiling of the 10 winners of a contest for elementary school student artworks to be placed along the trail.
The picture of Ms. Starling and Mr. Shook shows a large pole in what appears to be the trail. Federal standards prohibit vertical obstructions w/ 3′ of a trail. How did this get by permitting?