As buildings continue to jut into the sky and new residents pour in, Midtown’s leadership is on a quest to remake a long section of Atlanta’s signature street into a more inviting place less married to automobile transportation.
And they’ve recruited some formidable allies to help achieve that.
Midtown Alliance announced this week a Peachtree Visioning Plan is being formulated to help guide a nine-block alteration of Peachtree Street—from North Avenue up to 10th Street—that could make for a less auto-dominated corridor as the area continues to densify.
Contributing to the initiative are engineering firm Kimley-Horn and Snøhetta, the global design firm known for turning New York City’s Broadway corridor into a pedestrian zone near Times Square.
The goal will be to create new design language for a section of Peachtree Street that includes landmarks such as the Fox Theatre and The Georgian Terrace Hotel, along with a forest of new apartment high-rises and under-construction ventures such as Society Atlanta.
The nine-block section of Peachtree in question through Midtown. Google Maps
According to Midtown Alliance, the visioning process will question “what is currently underused asphalt and sidewalks and [explore] the future of a livable street that supports a vibrant community,” balancing “vehicular spaces with active, human-centered places.”
In a project announcement this week, Midtown Alliance displayed results of the 2022 Midtown Community Survey that suggested how visitors, workers, and residents would like to see Peachtree Street change.
The five most popular answers to that question: Address speed (47 percent); add bike lane (46 percent); widen sidewalk (41 percent); more parklets/urbanism projects (36 percent); and add loading zones (34 percent), according to more than 3,500 respondents. Midtown Alliance also pointed to a recent WABE interview with Atlanta Department of Transportation head Solomon Caviness, who noted the city aims to resurrect the popular Atlanta Streets Alive events on Peachtree this fall.
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What’s next? The Peachtree Visioning Plan process is in nascent stages for now, but a community engagement phase is being planned. It will include proposed concepts, a focus on existing conditions, and feedback gathering that could assist in guiding designs, per Midtown Alliance.
Final design recommendations will be included in a later implementation plan. Midtown Alliance and the City of Atlanta will use that to “sequence priorities and pursue future funding opportunities,” per the nonprofit coalition.
Information on how to get involved in the visioning process and other details is expected to be released in coming months.
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