By Phill Kelly, GPNA transportation committee chair

In some ways, it feels like we are starting from scratch.

After two years of COVID-era delays, the South Boulevard Complete Streets project seems to have all-new everything: a new team of designers, a new traffic study, more surveying crews, and importantly, a new focus on Vision Zero for the upcoming final concept design. This news was shared at a community meeting about the South Boulevard project hosted by Atlanta City Councilmember Jason Winston and the Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT) on Thursday, November 16.

The meeting marked the start of public engagement for the final concept design process for the project, which should provide protected bicycle lanes and improved pedestrian facilities along South Boulevard between Woodward Ave and McDonough Blvd. 

Some things still remain unclear: In 2021, the community provided feedback about the project, but we don’t know how much City staff or design contractors have referenced that feedback. We also don’t know to what degree they’ve considered a design possibility explored by the Grant Park Neighborhood Association Transportation Committee. 

Some community members also questioned the urgency and reliability of the timeline the City is proposing. 

However, if all goes well, 2024 is the year of design and 2025 is the year of construction for this project – coinciding with the completion of thousands of units of housing on Boulevard SE in the Chosewood Park neighborhood and the completion of the southeast BeltLine trail.

So, what can you do to help South Boulevard become a safer place for people using all kinds of transportation? 

1. Share your support and/or concerns regarding the project by emailing Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT) and Councilmember Jason Winston by December 16, 2023 or use the project comment card.
2. Sign up for ATLDOT email updates on the project and stay in the loop ahead of next spring’s further community engagement events
3. Get involved at the local level by attending the joint Grant Park and NPU-W Transportation Committee meeting on Monday, December 18th at 7 PM on Zoom.

Phill Kelly
Transportation Committee Chair
Grant Park Neighborhood Association

[email protected]