Like most major thoroughfares in metro Atlanta, New Peachtree Road in Doraville was designed first and foremost to move cars.
Now, the City of Doraville is transforming part of New Peachtree into a place for people. That is, the road promises to be a much better place to walk and bike, with improved connection to the nearby Doraville MARTA station.
Work crews recently broke ground on the $3 million project, which is expected to be complete next summer and cover a half-mile of New Peachtree, roughly between the MARTA station and I-285. The project is funded through the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Livable Centers Initiative and builds on a nearly decade old LCI planning study.
Here’s how New Peachtree will change:
- New sidewalks, street lights, and bicycle lanes will be installed.
- Portions of the street will be narrowed to two lanes, curb extensions with street trees will be installed, and on-street parking created. The goal is slowing traffic and boosting safety.
- New turn lanes will be added at key intersections to help traffic flow and improve safety.
Anyone who’s been on this stretch of New Peachtree knows that this represents major change. The road now has 5 lanes of traffic including turn lanes, narrow sidewalks, no bike lanes, and no planters or street trees. Good luck trying to cross the old New Peachtree on foot.
These renderings give a sense of what’s to come:
Potential impact
City leaders hope the new New Peachtree will act as a catalyst for the downtown area. For a sense of what’s possible, they can look to neighboring Chamblee, which boasts a vibrant, walkable area near its MARTA station.
Here’s what Doraville Mayor Joseph Geierman had to say in a news release:
“New Peachtree Road’s upcoming face-lift is an important starting point for city council’s plans to rebuild Downtown Doraville into a walkable, vibrant mixed-use amenity for both residents and visitors.”
The downtown Doraville are could also one day connect to the giant, mixed-use Assembly project taking shape at the nearby former GM plant. Plans call for Assembly to connect to the Doraville MARTA station, creating a way to travel between project and downtown Doraville without driving.
Here’s a handy map that shows the scope of the project.
What’s Next ATL, produced by the Atlanta Regional Commission, is a community resource that explores how metro Atlanta is growing and changing, and how the region is addressing its most pressing challenges.
