Study: Expanded Peachtree Creek Greenway would boost swath of ITP Atlanta

Supporters of an ambitious multi-use greenway that could one day link the Atlanta Beltline to Doraville are pointing to a new analysis that paints the project as an economic game-changer for numerous ITP communities. 

Officials with nonprofit Peachtree Creek Greenway Inc., who commissioned the recently completed Economic Impact Study by the KB Advisory Group, say it proves the trail project could be a driver for new jobs, more tax revenue, and increased property values at both the local and state levels.  

Results of the analysis, per nonprofit leaders, should encourage elected officials, engaged community members, and business leaders to push the 14-mile trail project to full completion. 

PCGI formed back in 2013 as an advocacy group for the multimodal trail, which could eventually stretch from the Beltline’s Northeast Trail to Brookhaven, Chamblee, and parts of unincorporated DeKalb County before ending at Doraville’s MARTA station. 

Today, the only finished section spans 1.3 miles from North Druid Hills Road to Briarwood Road, with no shortage of nature and creek views—and one large, sweeping bridge—in between. 

The recent analysis took into account a ½-mile buffer on either side of the proposed trail route. 

“This study confirms what we have long believed—investing in the Peachtree Creek Greenway is not just about recreation; it’s about economic growth, job creation, and smart infrastructure investment,” Mary Howell, PCGI’s board chair, said in an announcement. 

“For every dollar invested," Howell continued, "the Greenway returns nearly $14 in statewide economic impact while enhancing quality of life for residents and visitors.”

During construction, the KB Advisory Group study found the Greenway project would produce $68 million in construction spending and about $56 million in wages for those building it. 

Some other key economic findings in the report, as outlined by PCGI, include the following. 

Over the first 10 years after the Greenway is fully built, the analysis says it will:

·         Generate $13.76 in statewide economic impact for every $1 invested (from construction and new retail spending);

·         Deliver $1.17 in direct public revenue for every $1 invested, increasing property and sales tax revenues;

·          Raise property values along the Greenway by 7 percent (or $159 million), generating an estimated $7.1 million in new property tax revenue;

·         Create 228 permanent jobs and 143 temporary construction jobs (in retail, tourism, hospitality, and construction). 

…

Longterm economic growth, per the study: 

·         $56.9 million in new retail spending annually at businesses near the Greenway;

·         $128.2 million in total annual goods and services spending statewide;

·         142 new direct jobs in retail and food services, with an average salary of $45,000 per year;

·         $4.7 million in annual sales tax revenue for state and local governments;

·         $318,861 in annual state income tax revenue from new jobs linked to Greenway-related business activity.

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