Creating Vibrant, Walkable Communities
Livable Centers Initiative
Created as a way to reduce vehicle miles traveled and improve air quality, the ARC's Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) is a grant program that incentivizes local jurisdictions to re-envision their communities as vibrant, walkable places that offer increased mobility options, encourage healthy lifestyles and provide improved access to jobs and services. The LCI program is funded with federal transportation dollars. The grants cover 80% of the cost of each study or transportation project, with the recipient making a 20% match.
2026 LCI Selections
Following are applications for the six studies receiving funding this year:
- Atlanta Downtown, Inc. Sweet Auburn Pedestrian Safety Access Plan (PDF)
- Buckhead Master Plan Update (PDF)
- DeKalb County Candler Road/Flat Shoals Parkway Area Plan Update (PDF)
- Mableton Town Center Master Plan (PDF)
- Morrow Trail Connection Feasibility Study (PDF)
- Stockbridge Downtown Master Plan Update (PDF)*
2026 LCI Consultants Meeting
ARC hosted this year’s meeting on June 18th. We’re providing the meeting recording and slide deck here for future reference.
Program Overview
Since 2000, the LCI program has invested nearly $390 million in 126 communities throughout the Atlanta region. These funds pay for planning studies and the construction of transportation projects such as sidewalks and trails, road diets and complete streets, and intersection improvements, to create vibrant and connected downtowns, town centers, and transit oriented developments. The ARC board has allocated $1 billion through 2050 for transportation projects resulting from completed LCI studies.
As part of ARC's celebration of this groundbreaking program, we are pleased to share the Livable Centers Initiative 25 Year Impact Report (PDF, 138 MB), LCI 25 Executive Summary (PDF, 11 MB), and LCI 25 StoryMap (external link).
Program Goals:
One of the outcomes of the 25 Year Impact Report is the revision of the LCI program's goals, which directly align with three of ARC's agency goals:
- Healthy, Safe, Livable Communities: Create multimodal developments that prioritize connectivity, public health, and safety for people of all ages.
- A Competitive Economy: Maximize the economic potential of downtowns and transit nodes with a diverse mix of housing, jobs, and community services.
- Diverse Stakeholder Engagement: Empower and engage all stakeholders through comprehensive and impactful community outreach.
Livable Centers Initiative Application Guidebook
Take a look at the application guidebook to learn more about program goals and application requirements.
Call for Projects
The 2027 Call for Projects will open in January 2027. Following is a general schedule. Details will be posted in October 2026.
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December 2026
Ideas Exchange
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January 2027
Application Opens & Call for Projects
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February 2027
Application Closes
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May 2027
Awardees Announced
Contract Guidance and Requirements
Please see the ARC Contract Guidance and Requirements (PDF, 120 KB) for further information on receiving federal funds, including procurement procedures and subcontracting requirements.
LCI Transportation
Communities that have completed an LCI study are eligible to apply for funding for transportation projects that support the goals of their study and the program as a whole. Funding for LCI transportation projects comes through ARC’s Transportation Improvement Program.
ARC held a solicitation for LCI Project Implementation Proposals in the Fall of 2021. Project announcement has been be made on the LCI Transportation Program page.
Resources
- Search LCI Database
Search our database of LCI studies and plan updates completed by LCI Recipients. - LCI Interactive Map (external link)
View where LCI communities are located throughout the region. - LCI GIS Data and Information
