PROJECT OVERVIEW.
WHY SHARED SPACE?
Peachtree Street is synonymous with Atlanta. It has been the stage for significant moments in our city's history, from its origins as trail of the Creek people to the site of Atlanta's first skyscraper, the growth of a thriving business district, and the scene of the historic and ongoing fight for equity for all Atlantans. Atlanta is also projected to have 1.2 million new residents over the next couple of decades. We know to manage this growth well, we need to prepare for a more urban future by planning for density, multimodal transportation choices, and delightful public spaces Downtown, in keeping with the core values outlined in the Atlanta City Design. These exceptional public spaces will be inclusive, beautifully designed, and honoring of our shared history and Atlanta's aspiration to embody the Beloved Community. Like it has for generations, Peachtree Street must continue to lead the way, evolving to serve the needs and embody the values of our next chapter.
Through this project, the City of Atlanta is redesigning of a portion of Peachtree Street Downtown as a shared space, one that will function for the next generation of mobility and public life. While the new design as a shared space will continue to allow cars, it will shift the focus to creating safe and ample space for people to walk, bike, ride transit, gather, rest, and enjoy Downtown Atlanta. If you spend time Downtown, you may have noticed that in many cases people are already using the street in much this way. The redesign will make it safer and easier to do so, and will be ready to accommodate growth Downtown. It will also create an iconic and essential civic space for Downtown Atlanta, where publicly-owned open space is limited and land costs are at a premium. Learn more about the vision for Peachtree Street here.
Several other major cities have implemented similar designs, prioritizing creating a vibrant urban destination over maximizing regional traffic in their signature downtown spaces. Learn more about shared spaces here.
PROJECT LOCATION.
Peachtree Street is the spine of Atlanta, stretching north to south from Downtown to Buckhead. This project focuses on the Downtown portion of Peachtree Street. Our analysis will consider the section from North Avenue to Marietta Street/Decatur Street. The specific location where a shared space will be implemented will be determined through the design process.
DESIGN PROCESS.
The idea of Peachtree as a shared space emerged a few years back, captured in a 2018 concept report by Atlanta City Studio. This project carries forward that vision by engaging more of the community; analyzing traffic impacts and recommending solutions; conducting environmental and historical due diligence; diving deeper into the design details; and testing the concept through a demonstration project. The team will develop alternative designs that will be shared with the community for feedback before moving forward with a preferred alternative. The final outcome of the project will be a detailed concept report that addresses the design, activation, and implementation of the Peachtree Shared Space, as well as related improvements to support an effective transportation network Downtown.
There will be multiple opportunities for you to get involved in the design process! Visit the Engage page to learn more. In addition to broad community engagement, a group of stakeholders called the Peachtree Advisory Committee will meet regularly to provide input and review draft concepts. This group includes property owners/managers on the corridor, neighbors, local business representatives, and leaders of civic groups.
Learn More: Shared Spaces | Project Documents
