The DIRT On PATH400

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Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead, gives us the dirt on PATH400 progress.

As you probably know by now, we formally broke ground on the next phase of PATH400 (from Wieuca to Loridans) late last year. Now we are ready to get underway. Yes, you heard me right: all the red tape is out of the way, and we are ready to rock! So, what’s next?

I wanted to take a moment to let you know what is going to happen:

In the next days and weeks, you will begin to see people onsite mobilizing for construction. This will begin with delineating the project limits, establishing erosion control measures to protect the creek, and then the most painful part of the whole process – tree removal. For those of you who love the two trees joined together, unfortunately they must be removed. However, we will be saving the entwined portion to be repurposed. So, if you know of an amazing woodworker who can make something for the park – I am all ears!

In addition to the initial site work, a construction trailer will be on-site for the duration of the project and placed adjacent to the gravel road on the North Ivy Road side of the project site. This will serve as the construction project management office. If there are concerns that pop up along the way, you are welcome to drop in. If you do come by for a visit, please be mindful that this will be an active construction site.

Once the initial site work is completed, the big work will start with equipment arriving to begin the earthwork. You should start to see this activity in late February (provided Mother Nature behaves).

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THE DIRT ON PATH400

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Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead, gives us the dirt on PATH400 progress.

Hey all of you PATH400 fans! I know it has been a while since you have heard from me, but I promise you it was worth the wait because I am back with a $12.5M announcement, the next phase of construction, from Wieuca to Loridans, is about to get underway!

We ceremonially broke ground in mid-November and celebrated with our elected officials and key community leaders and neighbors. A photo op with Mayor Dickens never disappoints, but we took it a step further by adding an enormous excavator as a show-stopping backdrop. It was a great kick-off for what promises to be one of the most exciting PATH400 sections yet.

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CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON NEW PATH400 SEGMENT IN NORTH BUCKHEAD

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Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and other officials join Livable Buckhead to break ground on
$12.8 million project

ATLANTA – November 12, 2022 – Construction is now officially underway on the final major segment of PATH400’s 5.2-mile route through Buckhead. When complete, the new 0.75-mile stretch between Wieuca Rd. and Loridans Dr. will provide pedestrian and bike connections to Mountain Way Common and the planned Loridans Park. It also will create almost three contiguous miles of pathway between the GA 400 Loop and Loridans Dr.

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PATH400 Construction Update: It’s coming!

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Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead, gives us the dirt on PATH400 progress.

I know you have all been wondering when the next section of PATH400 from Wieuca to Loridans will get under construction and I have some guardedly optimistic news to share! We are wrapping up the final redesign that made us eligible to receive federal funds with Georgia DOT and should put a nice big bow on it in the next few weeks. At that point we enter the City of Atlanta’s procurement process to select a contractor to build it.

We have all the money in place, the legal agreements executed and are ready to get moving. It is difficult to predict the procurement process timeline, but our goal is to get construction mobilized this summer and I am pushing HARD to make that happen. I know this immediately brings all sorts of questions to your minds about what to expect. We won’t know  exactly what construction will look like until the contractor is selected because they get to dictate their construction means and methods. But I can tell you there will be a lot of staging in the Mountain Way Common area and Mountain Drive will be impacted and even closed at some points along the way.

We will be doing our best to minimize disruption to Wieuca Road and Sarah Smith when school is in session. I’m not exactly sure how long the construction will take, but I’m guessing 12-18 months based on prior sections. Once we get going, I will be sending regular construction updates and also doing some fun construction tours.

If you would like to be on the update email list please make sure to enroll in our PATH400 newsletter.

Local Girl Scout Launches Nature-Themed Art Contest for Elementary and Middle Schoolers

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Three designs to be replicated as murals on PATH400

ATLANTA – August 13, 2020 – Getting outdoors has been a common “stay sane” strategy during the coronavirus pandemic. Now a local girl scout is asking kids to take inspiration from the plants and animals that they have observed and create works of art to be replicated on PATH400. Read more

Take Steps for the Hikes for Health Challenge

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ATLANTA — August 7, 2020 — Ten organizations have joined forces with national recreation retailer REI for a social media campaign encouraging the public to hike, walk, or jog 10 trails in their 10 greenspaces over the next 10 months.  Get ready to put on your athletic shoes for the Hikes for Health Challenge.

Organizations participating in the Challenge – Blue Heron Nature Preserve, Chastain Park Conservancy, Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy, Chattahoochee Nature Center, Dunwoody Nature Center, Friends of Lost Corner, Livable Buckhead, Parks Cobb County, Peachtree Creek Greenway, and Sandy Springs Conservancy – have been integral in boosting the quality of life in various communities through the development of trails, parks, and greenspaces.

Livable Buckhead, a nonprofit with a mission to make Buckhead the kind of place where people want to live and where businesses want to operate, encourages Hikes for Health Challenge participants to enjoy PATH400. This multi-use trail runs along the spine of GA 400 and, once complete, will provide a 5.2-mile greenway through the heart of Buckhead, connecting neighborhoods, office and retail locations with a path for bicyclists and pedestrians. PATH400 will eventually join with the Atlanta BeltLine in the south and trails in Sandy Springs and north Fulton County.

Now more than ever, Livable Buckhead and allied organizations see their beloved trails as part of a prescription for better physical and mental health and a stronger life. Hiking outdoors has been proven in studies to promote heart health, weight reduction, and cholesterol control for adults. Physical activity in nature boosts muscular and brain development, creativity, and mental well-being in children.

Hikes for Health Challenge launches in the metropolitan Atlanta area during National Wellness Month in August from this shared vision of trails by the ten greenspace organizations and REI. Participants are encouraged to use #HikesForHealthREI in social media postings after walking, jogging, or hiking a trail from each greenspace organization. Register for the Hikes for Health Challenge in August to qualify for a $250 REI gift card using the link featured in social media postings for participating organizations and in REI newsletters.

This campaign culminates with the selection of a Grand Prize winner in spring 2021 with a $250 REI gift card plus prizes from the greenspace organizations. Take a step toward wellness and join the Hikes for Health Challenge. For more details and registration, go to https://hikesforhealthchallenge.splashthat.com.

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The DIRT: April 2020

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Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead, gives us the dirt on PATH400 progress.

Hey fellow shut-ins – I hope you are all healthy and at least retaining some sense of sanity with all of the uncertainty and isolation we are dealing with. I know mine is teetering close to the ledge, but as many of you know that isn’t really anything unusual so there is no cause for alarm. 

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The DIRT 11/2019: Murals on PATH400

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Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead, gives us the dirt on PATH400 progress.

Art on PATH400
We mentioned it last time, but the PATH400 has new murals thanks to the Outerspace Project. We are super excited that our five art walls up near Wieuca Road have brand new murals on them. Aesek, Nnekka, Angela Faustina, Angie Jerez and Lela Brunet are showcasing their talent and creativity to give our trail regulars a little variety in their daily art diet.

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The DIRT 11/2019: Why is that gate closed?

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path400 fence

Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead, gives us the dirt on PATH400 progress.

“Why is that gate on PATH400 closed?”

That question has been popping up in the Livable Buckhead inbox quite a bit over the past few weeks. I have a simple answer — unfortunately, the Sidney Marcus to Miami Circle segment isn’t open yet – but it’s the inevitable follow-up question that stumps me every time.

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Livable Buckhead Celebrates Newest Section of PATH400 with Party on the PATH

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October 20 event to feature live music, interactive scavenger hunt and sneak peek tours of trail

ATLANTA – October 7, 2019 – PATH400 is transforming Buckhead by creating pedestrian connections between many of the area’s most popular shopping and dining destinations. With the newest section of the trail nearing completion, Livable Buckhead is throwing a party to celebrate PATH400’s progress. On Sunday, October 20 from 6 to 9 p.m. the public is invited to Party on the PATH, an entertaining evening featuring food, drink, live music and a sneak peek trail tour. Party on the PATH will take place in Miami Circle, which will soon be within a short walk or bike ride of the center of Buckhead thanks to PATH400.

“I’ve given a lot of preview tours of the new section of the trail, and nearly everyone is surprised at how quickly you can get from Lenox Square to Miami Circle on foot,” said Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead. “That’s the magic of PATH400. We’re taking unused land and turning into a trail that lets people get to Buckhead’s great shops and restaurants without the hassle of traffic. Party on the PATH will give everyone a chance to see that for themselves and to have a great time while they’re at it.”

Party on the PATH will be begin with an hour of custom-crafted cocktails from ASW Distillery and tours of PATH400 using an interactive scavenger hunt created by Clue Town specifically for the event. That will be followed by dinner featuring a menu of tapas, tacos and Spanish desserts from Legendary Events. Party-goers will enjoy an open bar offering sangria, mojitos, wine and beer from Creature Comforts Brewing Company. The evening will conclude with dancing and live music from Willie Ziavino and his four-piece band playing a rhythmic and musical fusion of Trova Cubana, Salsa and Caribbean rhythms with elements of funk, pop and Brazilian beats.

When the newest section of PATH400 opens to the public, the 5.2-mile trail will be approximately 80 percent complete. The remaining sections of the trail are slated to be complete by 2023. Several other trails will connect to PATH400 in Buckhead, including extensions of PATH400 through Sandy Springs, Dunwoody and Roswell. Atlanta BeltLine Inc. is working to determine where it will connect to PATH400 as well.

Tickets for Party on the PATH range from $65 to $150 and can be purchased at http://livablebuckhead.org/pop/. Party on the PATH proceeds support Livable Buckhead’s mission of creating community greenspace. The event is sponsored by AMLI Residential, ASW Distillery, Creature Comforts Brewing Co., ECCO, Eclipse di Luna, Legendary Events, Owen & Associates Insurance, POND, Heath & Lineback Engineers, Inc., Louisiana Bistreaux, Peachtree Tents and Events, Simon and South City Kitchen.

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About Livable Buckhead
Livable Buckhead is a nonprofit organization that strives to ensure the long-term viability and prosperity of the Buckhead community. The organization achieves its mission by working cooperatively with individuals, public entities and private businesses to integrate sustainable strategies. Livable Buckhead implements programs related to greenspace, recycling, energy efficiency, commute alternatives, arts and culture, real estate development and land use. For more information about Livable Buckhead and its programs, visit livablebuckhead.org.

About PATH400
PATH400 is a 5.2-mile walkable, bikeable greenway being constructed on public land adjacent to GA400 extending from the bank of Peachtree Creek northward toward the northern edge of Atlanta. It is the centerpiece of a broader greenspace plan, the Buckhead Collection, initiated by Atlanta Councilman Howard Shook. Livable Buckhead is spearheading the PATH400 project in partnership with the Buckhead Community Improvement District (Buckhead CID) and the PATH Foundation. Several other agencies and organizations are involved in the development of PATH400, including Georgia Department of Transportation, the City of Atlanta, MARTA, Atlanta Neighborhood Planning Unit B, and Atlanta Public Schools. PATH400 will increase access to community amenities such as arts, historic, and cultural exhibits; neighborhood pocket parks and greenspaces; retail centers; and learning centers. For more information about PATH400 or to donate to the capital campaign, visit livablebuckhead.com.