The proposed park over Ga. 400 in Buckhead has received its first grant from public money. Meanwhile, a neighborhood association survey found that nearly half of respondents do not support the park that would cap the highway between Peachtree and Lenox roads.
The proposed park has been estimated to cost $250 million, making funding the park one of the major questions among residents and some board members of the Buckhead Community Improvement District, which has spearheaded the park.
Of the 128 people that responded to the North Buckhead Civic Association’s online survey, 52 percent supported the park, according to the group’s recent newsletter. A third supported using tax money to help fund the park. About half expressed concern the park could increase traffic congestion; about a third worried it could cause noise pollution, the newsletter said.
The $600,000 grant comes from the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank, a state program administered by the State Road and Tollway Authority, and will help fund utility and topographical surveys of the park area. That work could begin as early as September, the release said.
“SRTA is proud to partner with BCID to accelerate the delivery of this highly innovative project,” said Chris Tomlinson, the executive Director of SRTA, in the release.
The CID also announced in the release that an unnamed donor has expressed interest in pledging $1 million.
The CID is working with MARTA to identify improvements that could be made to the Buckhead MARTA Station, which would be located within the park, the release said.