Sandy Springs has expanded its plans for a Peachtree Dunwoody Road Corridor Study to include a North Springs MARTA Station transit-oriented development plan at the request of the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC).
The city had applied for a Livable Centers Initiative Grant from the ARC in February, according to Public Works Director Marty Martin. He said the ARC awarded the city a $250,000 grant for the expanded study, which will include $200,000 in federal funds and a $50,000 local match.
The Sandy Springs City Council approved the grant resolution at its Oct. 3 meeting.
The project area is along Peachtree Dunwoody Road from Abernathy Road to Spalding Drive, which Martin said is approximately 1.75 miles long. The designated area has a variety of land uses including multifamily residential, single-family residential, commercial along with the MARTA station.
“The purpose of this study would be to identify the appropriate cross-sections that facilitate future mobility, bike, pedestrian, vehicular, etc.,” Martin said.
The strategy would incorporate planning and placemaking that embraces the MARTA station and better addresses its potential, Martin said. That would include significant planning factors like the implementation of bus rapid transit. The MARTA station will become a hub for connecting bus rapid transit to heavy rail, he said.
The bus rapid transit is envisioned along with the expansion of express lanes on GA 400 north of the North Springs MARTA Station.
The study will develop future plans and identify opportunities to expand the GA 400 Path north of Mount Vernon Highway with extensions of the trail along Peachtree Dunwoody Road, Martin said.
The planning study also can offer the next potential steps with the Georgia 400 Path through the city and beyond, Martin said.