ARC's Livable Centers Initiative Program has been helping pay for planning studies and the construction of transportation projects such as sidewalks and intersection improvements, to bring those visions to life since 2000. Below, you will find a list of projects dating back to 2020.
In preparation for the 2026 Soccer World Cup, this study aims to update the pedestrian and vehicle wayfinding sign system in Downtown Atlanta to encourage walking, bicycling, and transit use. The plan also aims to highlight the work of Atlanta artists and culture bearers by commissioning local artists to design tactical wayfinding features such as murals and directional signage that reflect Atlanta’s vibrant and diverse culture.
The goal of this LCI Study is to develop a creative placemaking strategy for the Downtown Mixed-Use District and create a walkable and livable downtown core. The study will explore placemaking, public space activation, interactive art concepts, open space utilization and activation, and pedestrian and bicycle connectivity enhancements. The City desires to establish an arts district along the Lee Street Corridor, creating an incubator space for public arts and local artists, and to develop a marketing plan for existing and future businesses within the area.
Extensive involvement and engagement from the community is expected to include the establishment of an advisory board consisting of members of the city’s arts and creative community, business owners, property owners, city staff and elected and appointed officials.
The master plan has two major objectives: Defining a multi-modal transportation network along Jimmy Carter Boulevard that includes pedestrian and bicycle connectivity to transit locations; and making future land use recommendations to foster pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use communities near transit locations, projects known as transit-oriented developments (TODs), in appropriate locations. Through robust community engagement, the vibrant immigrant communities and global enterprises along Jimmy Carter Boulevard will help identify locations for public murals.
In addition, the plan will identify strategies for new housing types, development and preservation of affordable and workforce housing, and redevelopment in key parts of the existing LCI area. This ambitious planning effort will also examine infrastructure improvements such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities and transit, identify open space and placemaking activation locations and recommend code amendments to the Gateway 85 Overlay District.
This LCI plan update will study ways of better connecting the city’s newest assets, including Thurman Springs Park, Powder Springs Dog Park, the Hardy Family Automotive Amphitheater, and the new Powder Springs City Hall. The focus will be on walkability, pedestrian safety, and incorporating the planned Silver Comet Trail connection paths, which provide direct access to Downtown Powder Springs. The study will also look at traffic calming, a parking plan, identifying locations for electric vehicle changing stations, and determining the location of and access to transit stops based on new local bus routes identified in Cobb County’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP).
This plan will also ensure the city’s infrastructure keeps pace with the growth in housing as the city works to increase housing supply. The city also plans to create more opportunities for art installments, cultural events, and public art in the burgeoning downtown district through partnerships with local arts organizations.
This initiative will update Town Center CID’s nearly 10-year-old LCI plan to reflect the significant changes taking place in the area, such as increased enrollment at Kennesaw State University, growth at Cobb County International Airport, with upwards of 250 flights a day, and substantial development occurring throughout the district. This plan update will consider changes to land use and zoning ordinances, examine proposed transit routes and bus rapid transit (BRT) systems, explore housing initiatives, and study multi-modal connections for the community. The updated concept plan will make recommendations informed by an existing plans assessment, market analysis, and an action plan to guide anticipated growth of the CID over the next several years.
Grant Amount: $160,000
The Northwest Clayton LCI Update aims to improve quality of life and economic opportunity in northwest Clayton County, near I-285 and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The study will review the area’s growth since the last LCI plan adoption in 2011 and outline a comprehensive vision for equitable future growth and development to include improving access to affordable housing, employment, recreational spaces, and transit-oriented development around planned MARTA BRT stations.
Grant Amount: $200,000
The Education Campus Expansion & Community Connectivity Study will leverage the Fairburn LCI Downtown Master Plan to transform the city’s Education Campus, which consists of Georgia Military College and Brenau University South Campus. The study seeks to turn the area into the primary gateway into the city’s downtown, improve connectivity between the campus and downtown Fairburn’s amenities, and incorporate smart technology and creative placemaking along the Highway 29 Overlay District.
Grant Amount: $80,000
The Honest Alley Activation Project aims to determine the feasibility and benefits of improving Honest Alley in Lawrenceville to be pedestrian friendly and include placemaking features. By making the area more welcoming to residents and visitors, the project will spur economic development for properties in the alleyway while also increasing community connectivity within Lawrenceville’s downtown.
Grant Amount: $200,000
The Connecting Parks, PATHs and Public Spaces Project will evaluate Stone Mountain Village’s downtown since the last LCI plan adoption in 2013. The project will encourage seamless community connection between the city and Stone Mountain Park through a bicycle and pedestrian loop that links public green spaces.
Grant Amount: $176,000
The Highway 92 Development Standards Study seeks to create a new set of development standards along Highway 92. The goal is to pave the way for future economic growth through intuitive, user-friendly standards, intentional architectural design, incorporation of affordable/diverse housing options, and improved walkability. This study will also include a Housing Rehabilitation Program Strategy to retain legacy residents and preserve affordable housing resources.
Grant Amount: $160,000
The Town Center Streetscape & Mobility Schematic Project intends to create a livable and sustainable town center in Tyrone along Senoia Road through creative placemaking, multimodal mobility, smart technology, and planning and environmental design best practices. The study will work towards community revitalization, modernization, and sustainability through streetscape design guidelines, street construction standards, creative placemaking, and integrated smart technology.
Grant Amount: $200,000
The Huff Road Multimodal Study will reimagine this industrial freight corridor as an accessible, safe, and multimodal network, in line with the community’s goal of creating a restorative urban environment. The study will also include the recommendations from the Upper Westside Creative Placemaking study for bus stops along Huff Road.
Grant Amount: $100,000
The Cumberland CID Creative Placemaking Plan seeks to create a strategic plan that identifies opportunities for placemaking initiatives while promoting pedestrian safety and local art. Through collaborative public-private partnerships, the plan will work to activate underutilized public and private open spaces to bring members of the community together through the arts.
Grant Amount: $200,000
The Peachtree Dunwoody Road Corridor Study seeks to identify spaces for placemaking improvements that will facilitate future multimodal mobility and align with the Perimeter Center LCI and Perimeter Small Area Plan’s vision for Sandy Springs. This vision includes connecting two transit stations and the Perimeter employment district. The study will also incorporate a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Plan for 13 acres of undeveloped land at the North Springs MARTA Station.
Grant Amount: $120,000
The Highway 92 LCI Update seeks to reevaluate Highway 92 from I-20 to Lee Road to reflect the study area’s growth and development since the last LCI plan adoption in 2009 and the Lee Road Small Area Plan adopted in 2019. The update will target mobility, livability, placemaking, smart technology, and housing goals informed by community outreach.
City of Senoia
Grant Amount: $250,000
The City of Senoia Town Center Catalytic Study will focus on connecting Senoia's successful downtown to surrounding neighborhoods. The study will include potential development of a network of multimodal connections to the town center from the rest of the city through multi-use paths and innovative street design and revised development guidelines.
Clayton County and the cities of Jonesboro and Lovejoy
Grant Amount: $400,000
Clayton County's Tara Gateway Study aims to improve pedestrian safety, access to bus routes, and catalyze development at three locations along Tara Boulevard: Upper Riverdale Road, the City of Jonesboro, and the City of Lovejoy. The goal is a re-imagined corridor that becomes a true gateway for Clayton County.
City of Norcross
Grant Amount: $200,000
The Norcross LCI Plan Update will examine the development of a pedestrian-safe crossing along Buford Highway and the possible introduction of an electric vehicle charging into the downtown core of Norcross.
City of Riverdale
Grant Amount: $200,000
The Riverdale LCI Plan Update will support the development of bus rapid transit within the City of Riverdale by furthering the work that MARTA has conducted. The plan update will provide a revised economic development strategy, transportation recommendations, and an implementation plan.
Town Center CID
Grant Amount: $150,000
Cobb County's Town Center Electrification Study will develop a pilot electric vehicle infrastructure plan for the Town Center LCI area, including a toolkit and recommendations for implementation.
City of Clarkston
Grant Amount: $340,000
The Clarkston Greenway Study will develop plans for a 2-mile trail along the US 78 corridor or the South Fork Peachtree Creek. The proposed trail will connect to other regional trails and provide transportation options to an area where community connectivity has been more limited.
City of Woodstock
Grant Amount: $200,000
The Woodstock Downtown Noonday Creek and Rubes Creek Trail plan will evaluate options for developing a trail loop linking the Noonday Creek and Rubes Creek trails, providing east-west connections between the existing trails that will promote pedestrian connectivity throughout downtown Woodstock.
West End CID
Grant Amount: $200,000
The Ralph David Abernathy Great Streets Study will develop a multimodal transportation plan for the Ralph David Abernathy corridor to connect the West End MARTA Station, West End Mall, and surrounding neighborhoods.
DeKalb County
Staff Assistance
The Stone Mountain Trail Land Use Visioning Plan will include ARC, DeKalb County, and cities working together to evaluate the Stone Mountain Trail area and determine next steps for scoping a future study.
City of Alpharetta
Grant Amount: $160,000
The Alpharetta-South Main Street Creative Placemaking and Economic Strategy will take place along South Main Street (Hwy 9), from the Town Center, south to the city limits. This plan seeks to develop opportunities for safe walking and biking while promoting transit ridership. It also aims to examine opportunities for redevelopment that promote creative placemaking and the continued success of the Downtown Alpharetta LCI.
City of Douglasville
Grant Amount: $160,000
The Douglasville Town Center Implementation Strategy will update the Douglasville LCI to stitch together several existing projects to streamline them and set out plans of action, including the housing strategy work currently underway through ARC’s Community Development Assistance Program, a planned town green, creative placemaking, and upgraded connections to the Northside area.
City of Grantville
Grant Amount: $100,000
The Grantville LCI Plan will create a new study area within the City of Grantville, a small city on the southern border of Coweta County, as it looks to develop a transit connection to the Xpress commuter bus system and a revitalize its downtown.
Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District
Grant Amount: $220,000
The Gwinnett Place Mall Revitalization Strategy will advance a bold development plan for Gwinnett Place Mall that will explore how to integrate a potential county bus rapid transit route into a planned significant expansion of the Gwinnett Place Transit Center. The Transit Center is located on mall property and set for an upgrade to become the county transit system’s main hub. The LCI study’s goal is to support transit, cars, and pedestrians, improving both transportation and quality of life in the area.
Sugarloaf CID
Grant Amount: $100,000
The Sugarloaf Transit Enhancement and Future Station Planning Study will further examine a planned BRT station stop at Sugarloaf Mall and multimodal connection to the Infinite Energy Center. The study will also explore short-term transit enhancements at the existing Park and Ride location near Sugarloaf Mall.
City of Hampton
Grant Amount: $80,000
The City of Hampton King, George, and Daniel Streets Revitalization Strategy will examine this set of streets near Downtown Hampton as the city looks to revitalize the area and improve transportation safety without displacing existing residents. This strategy will examine different so-called “missing middle” housing options that could be applied in this area.
City of South Fulton
Grant Amount: $120,000
The Old National Highway LCI Study Update will explore new transportation options and develop an economic development strategy for the corridor that includes creative placemaking.
Lilburn Community Improvement District
Grant Amount: $120,000
The Lilburn LCI Plan Update will focus on developing a walkable and vibrant downtown by updating its existing LCI Plan within the Old Towne Lilburn and the Downtown Development Zone to promote creative placemaking and diversity of housing options.
In 2021, ARC piloted two new study types, focusing on (1) bus stop pedestrian safety and creative placemaking, and (2) LCI Scoping Assistance to prepare communities for a future LCI study. The three grant recipients in these areas:
City of Villa Rica
Grant amount: $100,000
The Villa Rica Downtown Master Plan will make land use recommendations to support the revitalization of the city’s downtown district, the surrounding residential and mixed-use district, and the historic Fullerville community. The study will recommend and identify opportunities to improve connectivity, multi-modal access to city parks, historic attractions, and cultural sites.
City of Fairburn
Grant amount: $100,000
The Fairburn Downtown Master Plan Update will update the current LCI plan to provide a strategically focused, goal-driven blueprint for the growth and development of Fairburn’s historic downtown.
City of Lawrenceville
Grant amount: $150,000
The Lawrenceville Downtown Master Plan Update will build on an existing Lawrenceville LCI study, extending its boundaries to capture more redevelopment opportunities, examining parking and transportation issues within downtown Lawrenceville and will integrate Smart City solutions.
Town of Tyrone
Grant amount: $160,000
The Tyrone Town Center Master Plan will focus on projects that promote people-oriented improvements, including a streetscape plan, Town Center property/facilities assessment, a Town Center park study, and a traffic/parking plan.
Central Atlanta Progress
Grant amount: $120,000
Central Atlanta Progress in partnership with the City of Atlanta will develop the Multi-Modal Corridor Study: Courtland Street, Peachtree Center, and Piedmont Avenue. This study will explore potential improvements for these corridors, including new bus-only lanes, pedestrian and bicycle improvements, and new lane configurations.
City of Austell
Grant amount: $120,000
The Austell Downtown Master Plan Update will update current LCI plan to provide a blueprint for the rejuvenation of downtown Austell, looking at improvements to transportation, zoning and the development of economic development strategies.
Town Center Community Improvement District
Grant amount: $160,000
The Bells Ferry Road Corridor Smart Mobility Study will provide recommendations to improve the transportation options for all users of Bells Ferry Road using smart technologies and green infrastructure.
City of Suwanee
Grant amount: $160,000
The Suwanee Pedestrian and Bicycle Loop Study will develop a concept for a continuous pedestrian and bicycle loop trail around Suwanee. The Loop will connect Suwanee neighborhoods to the Suwanee Greenway and downtown Suwanee, as well as connect the downtown to other planned regional trails.
City of Forest Park
Grant amount: $120,000
The Forest Park Downtown Master Plan Update will include a five-year development and implementation strategy that capitalizes on the city’s vacant properties and creating access to retail, residential, and commercial development and the city’s proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
City of Fayetteville
Grant amount: $100,000
The Fayetteville Downtown Design Guidelines Plan will provide the city with a framework for new development and improvements to the roadway and streetscape networks.
City of Woodstock
Grant Amount: $140,000
The Downtown Woodstock Master Plan Update will build upon the existing Downtown Woodstock and Highway 92 LCI studies to provide an updated blueprint for the growth and development of Downtown Woodstock.
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