Decide DeKalb Board Approves Funding to Extend South Peachtree Creek Trail, Connecting Neighborhoods, Retail, Green Space
Briarcliff/North Druid Hills TAD to fund $951,600 for land acquisition and trail design for Segments 3 and 5
DEKALB COUNTY, GEORGIA (March 12, 2026) – The board of directors for Decide DeKalb, the leading economic development organization in DeKalb County, has approved funding for South Peachtree Creek Trail’s Segments 3 and 5. The vote was held March 12 at the monthly board meeting.
South Peachtree Creek trail is being built in partnership with the PATH Foundation and DeKalb County government. The Briarcliff/North Druid Hills Tax Allocation District’s (TAD) Urban Renewal Fund $951,600 award will support the County’s acquisition and design of approximately 8,864 linear feet of multi-use trail from Briarcliff Road to Interstate 85 and from Margaret Harris Comprehensive School to North Druid Hills Road. Segment 2 currently is in design.
“This Briarcliff TAD investment into a multi-use greenway is going to bring much needed amenities to the community,” said Tiffany Wills, Decide DeKalb’s Vice President of Redevelopment and Strategic Initiatives. “These new segments will extend the trail network, improve pedestrian safety and expand access to jobs, schools and retail centers for people who walk or ride to work, or simply enjoy community benefits.”
The Briarcliff TAD was created in 2007 to promote economic vitality and infrastructure improvements, including pedestrian and bicycle projects and new green space.
Segments 3 and 5 will extend the South Peachtree Creek Trail system, linking neighborhoods with employment centers, retail destinations and green space. The new segments will join 2.6 miles of already completed trail that wander along forests, wetlands, railroad tracks, parks, neighborhoods and business districts from Mason Mill Park and Medlock Park to the Emory University area. When completed, the full trail will join existing greenways near Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and link out to regional trail systems.
Specific details of the new segments are as follows:
- Segment 3 will extend from the intersection of Briarcliff Road and Cliff Valley Way northwest to Interstate 85. Ultimately it will link up to the Peachtree Creek Greenway in Brookhaven.
- Segment 5 will go along Knob Hill Drive NE and Mount Mariah Road NE, serving residents of the Briarcliff Heights neighborhood and students and visitors of Margaret Harris Comprehensive School.
Total preliminary project costs are estimated at $2.6 million. The current TAD award covers acquisition and design. Following completion of design, permitting and right-of-way acquisition, DeKalb County anticipates submitting a supplemental request to fund construction.
“The South Peachtree Creek Trail Segments three and five move us one step closer to expanding connectivity across the DeKalb trail system,” said Commissioner Michelle Long Spears, DeKalb County District 2. “This investment will enhance recreation and transportation options for residents while also generating meaningful economic benefits for DeKalb County and local businesses. I look forward to seeing the positive impact this project will have on our community for years to come.”
Other community benefits include traffic-calming measures, upgraded intersections and buffered side paths which will improve pedestrian safety.
Jim Durrett, also a member of the Decide DeKalb Board of Directors, said the investment aligns with Decide DeKalb’s mission and with the purpose of the TAD. “There’s nothing that enhances quality of life more for people than having greenspace outside their doors, whether it’s trails or parks. I’m a big supporter of this kind of investment, which is why TADs are such a great community development tool.”
As next steps, DeKalb County will begin right-of-way acquisition and procure a design firm to complete construction drawings. Design and permitting are anticipated to be completed in 2027, with construction expected to begin in 2028 and estimated to conclude in 2029.
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