Atlanta reimagines Peachtree Street for more pedestrians, cyclists

June 22,2021

Grace Donnelly, Atlanta Business Chronicle

Atlanta’s signature street is getting a makeover.

Beginning today, three blocks of Peachtree Street will be transformed to make the area safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Using paint striping, planters and wheel stops, the City of Atlanta will block two travel lanes between Ellis Street and Baker Street to encourage alternative modes of transportation and slow the speed of traffic.

The Atlanta region’s population is expected to increase by nearly 2 million people over the next two decades and the city is experiencing the most rapid growth. Relying on highway expansion to accommodate new residents is not sustainable.

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These temporary changes around Peachtree Center are the first phase of the long-planned project and will remain in downtown for about 90 days while the city collects data on traffic patterns to determine how to use the space most effectively in the long-term.

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“The street no longer exists as a car-centric, lane-oriented travel way, but it is a public space where everyone can exist — a means of getting around through any mode of movement, not only cars,” said Wesley Brown, director of planning and capital projects at Central Atlanta Progress.

Read the complete article at the link above.