Atlanta's trail-blazing ways are gaining more ground with the announcement of a new 2.7-mile multi-use trail in Brookhaven. Conceived as North Fork linear park, the proposed paved path for walking and biking will stretch along the banks of the north fork of Peachtree Creek. At the south end, it will connect with the recently opened Cheshire Farm Trail built beneath the Ga. Highway 400/Interstate 85 interchange, and run north to Clairmont Road at I-85. Ultimately, supporters envision the trail running more than 12 miles from Mercer University's DeKalb County campus to Lindbergh, tying in with the Beltline.
While the Beltline may garner international attention for the inner-city transformation it's spurring, North Fork is just one of many trails drawing the trend outward. Even as the Beltline suffers setbacks to construction starts, other trails are greatly impacting neighborhoods elsewhere in the city. The opening of the first phase of PATH400 this month highlights the way these new paths can draw those who are slightly more suburban-inclined to get out into nature and walk or bike to parts of the city they wouldn't formerly think to. Overall, it's an encouraging trend, with the PATH Foundation advocating for the DOT to take notice of Atlanta's growing affinity for the trails.
Planning should be done for North Fork by the end of the year, and (hopefully) construction will begin soon after.
· North Fork linear park nears planning stage [Reporter Newspapers]