South Midtown Pedestrian Improvements Nearly Completed

Peachtree Streetscape: Southern End - This project began in May 2013 to extend the Peachtree Streetscape "pallette" to the southern end of Midtown. Blocks between 3rd and Pine Streets will be upgraded with new sidewalks, pavers, curbing, trees, and pedestrian lights as needed. Select portions of overhead utility lines will also be relocated underground. Final utility work is underway from 3rd Street to Ponce de Leon Ave. Design is underway for the next phase of improvements from Ponce to Pine.

Peachtree Streetscape: Northern End - Now in its final phases, this project extends Peachtree streetscaping to the northern end of Midtown between Peachtree Circle and the I-85 Bridge. Construction crews are finishing hardscape and utility work at the Peachtree Street/Peachtree Circle intersection and will soon tackle final punch list items.

10th Streetscape - This project includes installation of new sidewalks, street trees, pedestrian lighting, landscaped medians and ADA upgrades between Williams Street and Piedmont Avenue. Other improvements include a new signalized mid-block pedestrian crossing at the Midtown MARTA Station as well as burial of overhead power lines and poles between Peachtree and Juniper Streets. Construction crews are now working behind the scenes to bury overhead power lines between Peachtree and Juniper. Weather permitting, the new colored/thermoplastic crosswalks will soon be finished at the Peachtree Street intersection.

South Midtown Pedestrian and Circulation Improvements - This $4 million effort provides a wide range of improvements along North Avenue and Ponce de Leon Avenue including circulation improvements, select utility burials, streetscape upgrades, installation of key "gateway" features and creation of new public spaces such as Ponce Triangle near the Fox Theater. Colored/thermoplastic crosswalks were installed at Peachtree intersections with Ponce and North. Contractors are now completing final punch list items.

Peachtree Overhead Utility Burial - In anticipation of the 2013 Children's Healthcare of Atlanta parade and future events in Midtown, we spearheaded efforts to bury all currently-overhead utility lines crossing Peachtree Street. Our team completed work at 5th and 14th Streets and will work at 8th and 16th Streets over the next few months.

Pershing Point Park Renovation - The greenspace at the junction of Peachtree and West Peachtree Streets is undergoing a makeover. Work includes restoration of the historic World War I monument, landscape and hardscape beautification, and better lighting for safety. Improvements began in early 2013 with tree pruning/removal and repairs to lighting and irrigation. Landscape and hardscape demolition has occurred and the 4-month monument re-build is underway. Planting enhancements, walkway repairs, and installation of new lighting will follow completion of the monument work.

Tree Well Fencing and Planting - Midtown's Tree Well Adoption Program began in 2013 with 130 tree wells adopted to-date and counting! New tree well fencing and low-water-use perennial plants have been installed along much of Peachtree Street from 5th to 12th Street. Look for more fencing and beautiful new plants as Spring 2014 arrives.

Winter Landscape Installation - Replacement of damaged or dead shrubs, trees, and perennials is underway throughout the Midtown Improvement District rights-of-way. Look for beautiful warm season annuals to be planted along streets, in medians, and in parks and plazas when the weather warms in late Spring 2014. 

District-Wide Tree Replacement Program – In conjunction with our seasonal effort to identify diseased, dying and missing street trees and replace them with new, healthy, urban-tolerant street trees, over 50 new street trees were planted throughout the Midtown Improvement District in March 2013. Inventory and procurement is underway to plant approximately 50 new street trees throughout the District in early Spring 2014.

Rockspinner and Pocket Park (at 10th/Peachtree) - Through a collaboration with Dewberry Capital, we created a temporary “pocket park” at the corner of 10th and Peachtree Streets in 2013. The park includes a multi-use lawn, seasonal badminton net, seating areas, pedestrian paths, and water-wise plantings designed in partnership with the Atlanta Botanical Garden. In November 2013, Rockspinner, a large piece of kinetic art (a 22,000 pound boulder) was installed in the park. This month, weather dependent, crews will complete lighting around Rockspinner.

Bicycle Racks - The first installation of 30 new Midtown's "branded" bike racks was completed in September, 2013. More bike racks will be installed in late 2014.

10th Street Cycle Track - Successful completion of the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail increased the already-high demand for bicycle facilities in Midtown. As a result, we partnered with the City of Atlanta and the PATH Foundation to implement Phase 1 of a dedicated two-way "cycle track" on 10th Street along Piedmont Park, between Monroe Drive and Charles Allen Drive. The facility connects cyclists between Midtown's core and the BeltLine, and anticipates future cycle routes on Juniper Street and Piedmont Ave. Phase 2 of the Cycle Track will be constructed in mid-2014.