What Do You Think of the New PATH400 Trail Logo?

With construction set to begin within a year, Buckhead’s new trail along GA 400 has received its official name: PATH400.

The name is a nod to the PATH Foundation,a major contributor and construction partner for this project that has developed more than 160 miles of trails in Georgia. The PATH400 logo and the first of the trail’s signs have also been developed, bringing the project one step closer to becoming a reality.

“This is an exciting milestone in the life of this project,” stated Livable Buckhead Executive Director Denise Starling in a release. Livable Buckhead is the nonprofit organization that has led the initiative to create the trail.

“Maps and renderings and plans are great, but seeing the first sign for the trail really brings home the fact that PATH400 is on its way. After two years of meeting and planning, we have our first tangible piece of the trail, and it feels pretty great,” Starling stated.

Once completed, PATH400 will stretch 5.2 miles, from Loridans Drive south to Morosgo Drive. The trail will bring much-needed greenspace to Buckhead and will connect recreational, residential and commercial centers in the area. PATH400 will also connect to the Atlanta BeltLine, and to South Fork Conservancy’s trails, providing recreational opportunities that stretch well beyond the trail itself.

“GA 400 has been described as ‘the scar that will never heal’ because of the way that it divided Buckhead,” stated Starling. “Through the PATH400 project we’re overcoming a lot of the negative feelings that people have had ever since GA 400 was built, and even more importantly we’re transforming the corridor into an asset for the entire community. We’ve listened to the residents and changed our plans to meet their needs, which ultimately leads to a better result for everyone.”

PATH400 has developed at lightning speed for a project of this scale. The feasibility study was started in February 2011, and construction on the first phase – the section between Lenox Road and Old Ivy Road – is set to begin in January 2014. That three-year window is roughly half the length of time comparable projects have taken.

“The PATH Foundation has had this trail on our master plan for more than 20 years, but we thought it would never get done,” said Ed McBrayer, executive director of the PATH Foundation. “Our partnership with Livable Buckhead and the Buckhead CID leveraged our collective strengths and put this project on a fast track. We are going to have a trail that is far better than any of our organizations could have accomplished separately.”

What do you think of the PATH400 name and logo? Tell us in the comments below.

PATH400 is actually four trails in one, with experiences varying widely depending on which section of the trail a person is using.

Nearly half of PATH400, including almost the entire section north of the Buckhead Loop, will provide a multi-use trail experience similar to trails such as the Silver Comet. Pedestrians and bicyclists will enjoy the outdoors while following a 12-foot-wideconcrete path through a natural setting that is flanked on one side by GA 400. The trail will utilize and enhance the current sound barrier to create a natural, wooded experience for PATH400 users.

As PATH400 moves south, it winds through Tower Place, providing an urban trail experience and connecting users to shopping, restaurants and transportation options via the new pedestrian bridge to the Buckhead MARTA station set to open later this year. The trail also provides a commercial corridor experience along Sydney Marcus Boulevard, near the Morosgo Drive trailhead.

PATH400 connects to residential areas in multiple locations, including the historic Peachtree Park neighborhood, as well as condos near the Lindbergh MARTA station. These residential connections are key, providing pedestrian and bicycleaccess to many Buckhead amenities.

Finally, PATH400 provides a truly unique experience for transportation enthusiasts. In what is being referred to as the infrastructure corridor experience, the trail runs alongside and underneath MARTA’s heavy rail line, one of Norfolk Southern’s busiest commercial freight lines and an Amtrak passenger line. Young (and young at heart) train enthusiasts are certain to enjoy this area of PATH400.

“It’s no secret that greenspace and access improve a community’s attractiveness and property values,” said David Allman, chairman of the Buckhead Community Improvement Disctrict and founder of Regent Partners. “PATH400 is going to be a fantastic amenity for the entire community—the commercial core and the residential base. Personally, I’m excited to have it stopping right at the front door of our Tower Place development.”

PATH400 is the spine of the Buckhead Collection, a planned network of parks, trails and greenspaces throughout Buckhead. The Buckhead Collection vision was spearheaded by Atlanta City Council Representative Howard Shook, and is now the responsibility of Livable Buckhead to implement. PATH400 is the first project, and is a joint effort between Livable Buckhead, the PATH Foundation and the Buckhead Community Improvement District. Livable Buckhead will soon begin raising funds for construction of the trail, which is slated to begin in early 2014. For more information about PATH400, visit the Livable Buckhead website, www.livablebuckhead.org.

-This entire release was written and provided by Livable Buckhead.