Construction is underway on the final major stretch of PATH400, a multi-use path that “runs along the spine of GA 400” in North Atlanta that provides pedestrian and bicycle connectivity to Buckhead neighborhoods and commercial districts.
Mayor Andre Dickens was on hand for the Nov. 11 groundbreaking of the $12.8 million project to build the new three-quarter mile stretch between Wieuca Road and Loridans Drive. Atlanta City Councilmembers Mary Norwood and Howard Shook, who represent Buckhead, were also on hand along with several other local officials.
“PATH400 … is part of a growing trail network that can eventually serve as a valuable economic development tool for our city and the region,” Dickens said in a press release. “Trails like PATH400 help make Atlanta a healthier city, providing accessible and equitable opportunities for exercise and recreation.”
The $12.8 million Wieuca-Loridans segment of PATH400 is funded through federal and local government funds, including approximately $8.8 million from transportation improvement project funds administered by the Atlanta Regional Commission and $3.8 million from the city of Atlanta’s TSPLOST funds. Additional funding for design was contributed by the Buckhead Community Improvement District (BCID).
The Wieuca-Loridans segment connects directly to Mountain Way Common, a park that neighbors have worked for years to develop, said Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead. Livable Buckhead is spearheading the PATH400 project in partnership with the Buckhead CID and the PATH Foundation.
“Creating pedestrian and bike-friendly connections between parks in Buckhead was one of the central purposes for building PATH400, and we’re excited to deliver on that promise with this new segment,” Starling said in the release.
PATH400 is a 5.2-mile walkable, bikeable greenway being constructed on public land adjacent to GA 400 extending from the bank of Peachtree Creek northward toward the northern edge of Atlanta. Construction of the entire route is estimated to cost $37 million, with funding for earlier phases provided by the PATH Foundation and Buckhead CID.
Georgia Department of Transportation provided its right-of-way along GA 400 as land for most of the trail which will stretch from the Atlanta BeltLine to Sandy Springs when it is complete. The PATH Foundation has provided construction management services and expertise at no cost to the project.
Construction on the Wieuca-Loridans segment is expected to take approximately two years. Livable Buckhead will soon begin hosting construction tours for members of the public who are interested in learning more about the project. For more information about PATH400 or to sign up to receive project updates, visit livablebuckhead.org.