plan to beautify the downtown connector (Atlanta: how much, house, taxi)

[roadtrip75]

For reference, the Fifth Street Pedestrian Plaza Bridge near Georgia Tech cost $10 million.

[noah]

This is really cool and would be a great addition here. What a great way to add parkspace. Its nice to see in addition to the ones built years ago like Seattle that new ones are being built now (Dallas).

Interesting to see the park in Dallas cost is $110 million with the largest portion of funding coming from private donations.

http://www.theparkdallas.org/FAQs.aspx

Originally Posted by arjay57

I don't see why the Connector can't easily be greened up. Obviously you can't put a tree where it creates a safety hazard, but there are many ways around that. You can also easily green up some of those humongous retaining walls and do better lighting. None of this costs a fortune and and there are several ways to raise the money.

If we really wanted to do it right, there's no reason whatsoever that we couldn't do what Dallas has done with the Klyde Warren Park over the Woodall Rogers expressway. (Except that folks in Dallas are willing to spend money on infrastructure).

The Park


The Park Virtual Fly Through.wmv - YouTube

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by noah

This is really cool and would be a great addition here. What a great way to add parkspace. Its nice to see in addition to the ones built years ago like Seattle that new ones are being built now (Dallas).

Interesting to see the park in Dallas cost is $110 million with the largest portion of funding coming from private donations.

Yep.

I'm kind of starting to think our top tier days are over. But in the unlikely event we did get around to doing something like this there's no doubt the money could be raised.

[noah]

Granted I am an outsider (less then 5yrs here) but there is a lot happening and the uptick in projects this year intown amazes me. In many cities, development, new businesses etc do not happen at the pace they happen here. In addition to the large projects like Ponce City Market and the Beltline which appear to be moving ahead and have the potential to be transformational projects.

City Hall East will make us only the 4th city in the nation with a national food hall.

Ponce City Market - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For all the heated debate about transit and the vote, the street car opening next year will add 12 new stops of transit in the heart of the city to the 40+ stops Marta already has.

Originally Posted by arjay57

Yep.

I'm kind of starting to think our top tier days are over. But in the unlikely event we did get around to doing something like this there's no doubt the money could be raised.

[ATLTJL]

Let's put a big roof on it and do like the Freemont Stret experience.

[Newsboy]

I do love the 5th Street Bridge and think that would be the way to go. I've noticed a lot of cities (even Gwinnett County) have begun "personalizing" their freeway overpasses to make them distinctive and appealing. I really like want Tampa has done to all the I-4 overpasses/ exits -- red brick columns and accent lighting.

I'd be happy though if the GDOT would find some hardy, quick-growing vine to run up the sides of the concrete retaining walls -- like you see in California and Florida -- rather than let kudzu or graffiti take over.

WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT: Have they ever come up with a plan to fix / replace / redesign the decorative rails along the 17th Street bridge?

[therealpattman]

I seriously think uniting midtown and downtown with a park over the connector is the best plan.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I don't see why the Connector can't easily be greened up. Obviously you can't put a tree where it creates a safety hazard, but there are many ways around that. You can also easily green up some of those humongous retaining walls and do better lighting. None of this costs a fortune and and there are several ways to raise the money.

If we really wanted to do it right, there's no reason whatsoever that we couldn't do what Dallas has done with the Klyde Warren Park over the Woodall Rogers expressway. (Except that folks in Dallas are willing to spend money on infrastructure).

That's exactly the thing to do, where the Connector goes below grade. Certainly do it at each bridge. Georgia Tech gave an example at 5th Street.

Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA - Google Maps

[therealpattman]

This is just a draft idea of what I mean by parks over the connector, these parks are located in areas where the skyline is at its least visible and they would enhance the downtown experience.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by dpatt.marine1

I seriously think uniting midtown and downtown with a park over the connector is the best plan.

This is the spot that cuts Downtown from Midtown.

Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA - Google Maps

Sort of a No Man's Land. They'd have to build across these two bridges.

Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA - Google Maps