Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Roads GDOT contributes cash to help make over bridges along downtown connector
Posted by Thomas Wheatley @thomaswheatley on Wed, Nov 21, 2012 at 10:39 AM
- Central Atlanta Progress/Midtown Alliance
- Peachtree Street bridge over the downtown connector, we'll barely recognize ya!
The State Transportation Board on Thursday voted to pony up more than $1.7 million to an effort by Midtown and downtown boosters to overhaul several bridges along the downtown connector.
The projects are part of a joint initiative by Central Atlanta Progress and the Midtown Alliance to make the downtown connector, which carries more than 300,000 vehicles every day, more attractive. When it was first announced in August 2011, we - or more specifically, I - hoped that city leaders would consider making sure the project delights motorists and benefits the pedestrians and cyclists who use the spans.
GDOT's cash will pay for the makeover of two bridges which carry Peachtree Street over the massive interstate - one near the Amtrak station and the other near St. Luke's Episcopal Church. You'll notice that the face-lifts include some much-needed streetscape improvements. We don't see any bike lanes in those renderings, however.
The funding comes from a GDOT program that aims to build eye-catching entrances to the state. The city's bridges make the list because they're so visible to visitors, particularly those who come from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
If the overhauls are a success, says Dave Williams of the Atlanta Business Chronicle, GDOT would consider contributing more cash to fund the other bridges, which are along 10th Street, North Avenue, and Courtland Street.
We'll be most impressed if one of the concepts imagined by CAP and Midtown Alliance's planners and listed on p. 27 and 28 of the groups' report - a roundabout at Courtland Street, some kind of "perforated plaza deck" built on top of the interstate near St. Luke's Episcopal Church, and capping the interstate with a park at the Gold Dome - ever becomes a reality.
That picture and a few more renderings are after the jump.
- Central Atlanta Progress/Midtown Alliance
- On left, the vision for Peachtree Street near Mayor's Park. On right, the proposal for Capitol Park near the Gold Dome.
- Central Atlanta Progress/Midtown Alliance
- Peachtree Street near Brookwood at night
- Central Atlanta Progress/Midtown Alliance
- Peachtree Street near Brookwood at night, from a pedestrian's perspective
- Central Atlanta Progress/Midtown Alliance
- Peachtree Street near St. Luke's Episcopal Church
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