Athens Pedestrian Enhancement Project

*Phase II of sidewalk construction will begin on Monday, January 4, 2010. Construction is set to begin on Tellico Avenue. Construction is scheduled to be completed in October 2010.

In 2009, the City of Athens won a Pedestrian Enhancement Grant to fund the construction of new sidewalks. The locations for these new sidewalk segments were carefully considered and chosen for the purpose of improving connectivity between inportant destinations in the City and for improving the overall "walkability" of Athens. The locations chosen for the new sidewalk segments are:

- Bryson Street
- Elizabeth Street
- Forrest Avenue
- Ingleside Avenue
- Tellico Avenue
- Westside Street
- Woodward Avenue

The project was split into two phases. Phase I, completed in the Fall of 2009, included the Bryson Street, Forrest Avenue, Ingleside Avenue (partially) and Westside Street segments. In 2010, the remaining segments will be completed. Phase II is being funded federally using money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (A.R.R.A.).

An opportunity to use part of this sidewalk construction as a demonstration project arose as planning was underway for the Ingleside Avenue segment. It was decided to augment this segment with a beautification and "Green" project by installing an arboretum adjacent to the sidewalk. This arboretum includes only native species of trees and plants and serves as an outdoor classroom to educate property owners and developers as to the importance of using native species in landscaping and other development projects.