Writer: Gabriela Enamorado
2 min read January 2023— As the Atlanta region grows, so does its community. With more people moving to the Atlanta region, prioritizing a good quality of life will be key going forward. Leaders across the region have made it a priority to focus on making the Atlanta area’s cities more walkable as well as providing green and park spaces for residents to enjoy.
The Atlanta region is a rapidly evolving region that offers something for everyone. But, while the Downtown Atlanta area is fairly walkable, concerns over traffic congestion and public safety remain. One major ongoing project to increase mobility is Atlanta BeltLine, a network of public parks, multi-use trails and transit along a historic 22-mile railroad corridor.
Last month, Atlanta BeltLine received $11 million in federal funding to support construction of its Southside and Northeast trails. “The completion of the Southside and Northeast Trails will exemplify true connectivity and provide more and better access to jobs, affordable housing, and transit options,” said Clyde Higgs, President & CEO of Atlanta BeltLine, in a press release.
Taking influence from the BeltLine, many cities have decided to recognize the need for recreational green spaces for public health reasons and community building. Cities have come together in one common goal to continue improving the quality of life in the region.
“We have prioritized building out our Downtown as a town center with green space and restaurants,” Weare Gratwick, Mayor Pro Tem of Peachtree Corners, told Focus:. “We have also worked to connect our pedestrian bridge and our growing trail system, that when complete, will stretch to about 25 miles.”
“We also need to be smart about the amenities needed to support residents who move here while at the same time preserving our tree canopy and greenspace,” Gratwick told Focus:. “We bought 227 acres along the river to preserve as a passive park and it has since become a great green space for the city.”
Gratwick stated that creating sustainable commuting options is important as well. “We must provide ways for people to get around,” Gratwick said. “In Peachtree Corners, we are doing our part by creating options for biking and walking.”
Another initiative taking place is in DeKalb County, where they have their own Greenspace Program. DeKalb County describes the need for green space in a rapidly expanding urban region as necessary, as 80% of DeKalb County is developed with no sign of slowing down.
“Though securing greenspace prevents further development in urban areas to an extent, and could be interpreted as an economically backward idea, the total value gained from protecting our natural resources – economically, environmentally and recreationally – far outweigh the value gained from allowing the Atlanta area to continue its destructive cycle of sprawl,” according to the Dekalb County Greenspace Program mission statement.
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