After many years of studying, planning and reporting on maintenance and safety issues along the Ponce de Leon Avenue corridor, the City of Atlanta is taking advantage of several funding sources to improve this arterial road between Piedmont Avenue and Briarcliff Road / Moreland Avenue. The project list is a direct result of studies dating back several years, including, but not limited to the Ponce de Leon/Moreland Ave Corridors Study (2005) and the Pedestrian Safety Audit Study, prepared by PEDs (2010).

Recognizing that the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. (ABI) would be implementing different elements of maintenance and safety improvements over several different projects, the City of Atlanta assembled team leads from each organization to more efficiently coordinate and execute the projects. On February 7, 2013, community and business meetings kicked off to inform the public of the upcoming improvements. As the individual project planning efforts continue to progress, we will share project details via our blog, website, and future community meetings.

Below is the general overview of the four major projects given at the meetings:

2013 Ponce De Leon Avenue Improvement Projects General Overview

A. Milling/Resurfacing Project – Georgia Department of Transportation

i. Project limits: Milling and restriping is scheduled for US 29/US 78/US 278/SR 8, which

travels from North Avenue to Ponce de Leon Avenue between State Street and Briarcliff

Road/Moreland Avenue (SR 42/US 23).

ii. Project Scope: The project comprises the milling of Ponce de Leon Avenue, restriping

lanes, and crosswalks consistent with the proposed lane changes associated with the

Ponce LCI project and the GDOT Pedestrian Safety Project. The project is expected to take approximately one year.

B. Safety Improvement Project – Georgia Department of Transportation

i. Project limits: Ponce de Leon Avenue from Piedmont Avenue to Briarcliff Road/Moreland Avenue (SR 42/US 23).

ii. Project Scope: This project will increase pedestrian safety along the corridor through

HAWK systems, tactile warning pads, increased pedestrian lighting and increased

pedestrian countdown signalization. In addition to improved signalization at all

intersections and increased pedestrian lighting throughout the project corridor. Sidewalk safety improvements are estimated to begin within the next few years.

C. Ponce de Leon Avenue Pedestrian Facilities and Atlanta BeltLine Intermodal Connections, Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) Grant Project – Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.

i. Project limits: Ponce de Leon Avenue from Boulevard/Monroe Drive to Freedom

Parkway/Freedom Park.

ii. Project Scope: The proposed road section (to be partially implemented as part of milling project)

includes: four vehicular travel lanes; one two-way left turn lane; sidewalks that are

ADA compliant and minor pedestrian obstruction from above ground utility poles;

enhanced bus shelters within the project limits; planting strip within the project limits

and installation of lighting as necessary; buffered bicycle lanes, vertical connections to the Atlanta BeltLine, and limited sidewalk improvements and resetting of curbs as necessary (currently anticipated under the Atlanta BeltLine Ponce Overpass).

D. Transportation, Community, and System Preservation (TCSP) Grant PCM Plaza Interface

Project – Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.

i. Project limits: Atlanta BeltLine, between North Ave and Ponce de Leon Ave.

ii. Project Scope: Construct a pedestrian plaza providing pedestrian connection between

the Atlanta BeltLine and Ponce City Market (Former City Hall East). Project elements will

include: a plaza area between the rail shed and the Eastside Trail (under construction); a

bike/pedestrian connection between the Eastside Trail and the remodeled rail shed; a

sidewalk/ramp system that fronts the remodeled rail shed, and funding permits, the

sidewalk/ramp system will be extended to North Ave, for access to Historic Fourth Ward

Park.

You may also download the list of Ponce de Leon improvement projects as a PDF.