Proctor Creek: From polluted waterway to emerald corridor

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by Radical_Thinker

Also, will there be a connection to the Westside section of the BeltLine and/or a connection to the new quarry park due to open in a couple of years?

Yes. See this map to see the full plan:

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by Radical_Thinker

I walked this trail today to check it out. Was impressed.

Walked it from Bankhead Station to the end, 2.5 miles each way. Took me 1:40 for the round trip. Saw very few users on the trail - most of the time, I was utterly alone...lol.

Couple of questions - where is the .85 mile section of the trail leading from the Marta station? To me, it looks like the trail starts right at the station, but the sign has .85 mile on it. Also, will there be a connection to the Westside section of the BeltLine and/or a connection to the new quarry park due to open in a couple of years?

I really like having a trail leading from a Marta train station - makes life a lot easier (I took the train from Doraville to get to it.)

Maybe 0.85mi post is in anticipation of the extension of the trail to the Westside BeltLine?

[Radical_Thinker]

Going by the map, that .85 miles is complected - I just needed to cross the street and go down a bit to pick it up again. Looks like Beltline hasn't come that far north yet.

Can't wait to do the Proctor Creek all the way to the Chattahoochee - with a picnic lunch at the quarry along the way.

[atlHawks]

Originally Posted by Radical_Thinker

I walked this trail today to check it out. Was impressed.

Walked it from Bankhead Station to the end, 2.5 miles each way. Took me 1:40 for the round trip. Saw very few users on the trail - most of the time, I was utterly alone...lol.

Couple of questions - where is the .85 mile section of the trail leading from the Marta station? To me, it looks like the trail starts right at the station, but the sign has .85 mile on it. Also, will there be a connection to the Westside section of the BeltLine and/or a connection to the new quarry park due to open in a couple of years?

I really like having a trail leading from a Marta train station - makes life a lot easier (I took the train from Doraville to get to it.)

I mean what did you expect, PCM Beltline traffic? Plus it’s a Tuesday. Quarry Yards and the Westside Park will most likely change this.

[cqholt]

This is what metro Atlanta should have been building along floodplains the entire time.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by cqholt

This is what metro Atlanta should have been building along floodplains the entire time.

100% agree. Merging environmental protection with pleasant and practical infrastructure always gets a thumbs up from me.

[fourthwarden]

So, finally got around to visiting the trail today! Took the train to Bankhead, and hopped on the trail right there. I hadn't realized they'd built the path there along Gary Ave too. Was expecting the trail to be tucked a bit more into the back and out of sight. No complaints, of course, it was just easier to find than I thought it would be.

I don't have a bike in town right now, and my Dad's is in horrid shape, so I walked. There really needs to be a Relay station at Bankhead, if for no other use than renting to ride the trail. There aren't any near-by bike shops either. Also I think the access is lacking from the surrounding area, though that is likely due to the lack of real development in the surrounding area. I suspect that'll all change eventually as the BeltLine and Proctor Creek Greenway are connected, transit is improved, and infill development comes along.

I walked from Bankhead to Johnson Rd, then back. Basically just the length of new trail.

I personally liked walking through the old Bankhead Railroad services site. I'm a sucker for Urbex, and so that was neat, even if it did have a fancy trail running through the middle of it all. I less enjoyed the old construction material dump sites that were along the trail, likely left over from the area's industrial history and the quarry itself. Big piles of brick, concrete, and rusting metal are all half-buried by kudzu and privet. I don't know how realistic it would be to get that out, but I think that would be a good idea.

Same goes for all the mess of kudzu and privet itself. It was pretty sad to see all the invasive plant life just all over the place. Again, I don't know how realistic taking that on would be, but I think it would do wonders for the area to try and remove invasive species.

Finally, I think the creek itself, like most of our urban creeks, could really, really use a group of people walking through it and removing trash and debris along its length.


For all that complaining, though, I want to say that it was very nice, and generally a fantastic walk. The corridor represents, I think, a solid foundation for how to design our use of Urban Waterways. I look forward to this trail's improvements, expansion, and the other projects planned throughout the city:

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

So, finally got around to visiting the trail today! Took the train to Bankhead, and hopped on the trail right there. I hadn't realized they'd built the path there along Gary Ave too. Was expecting the trail to be tucked a bit more into the back and out of sight. No complaints, of course, it was just easier to find than I thought it would be.

I don't have a bike in town right now, and my Dad's is in horrid shape, so I walked. There really needs to be a Relay station at Bankhead, if for no other use than renting to ride the trail. There aren't any near-by bike shops either. Also I think the access is lacking from the surrounding area, though that is likely due to the lack of real development in the surrounding area. I suspect that'll all change eventually as the BeltLine and Proctor Creek Greenway are connected, transit is improved, and infill development comes along.

I walked from Bankhead to Johnson Rd, then back. Basically just the length of new trail.

I personally liked walking through the old Bankhead Railroad services site. I'm a sucker for Urbex, and so that was neat, even if it did have a fancy trail running through the middle of it all. I less enjoyed the old construction material dump sites that were along the trail, likely left over from the area's industrial history and the quarry itself. Big piles of brick, concrete, and rusting metal are all half-buried by kudzu and privet. I don't know how realistic it would be to get that out, but I think that would be a good idea.

Same goes for all the mess of kudzu and privet itself. It was pretty sad to see all the invasive plant life just all over the place. Again, I don't know how realistic taking that on would be, but I think it would do wonders for the area to try and remove invasive species.

Finally, I think the creek itself, like most of our urban creeks, could really, really use a group of people walking through it and removing trash and debris along its length.


For all that complaining, though, I want to say that it was very nice, and generally a fantastic walk. The corridor represents, I think, a solid foundation for how to design our use of Urban Waterways. I look forward to this trail's improvements, expansion, and the other projects planned throughout the city:

After the trail crosses Grove Park Pl, it is squeezed between the creek and a large hill. That hill debris dumped from AFCS.