Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead, gives us the dirt on PATH400 progress.
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It’s a little past the worst holiday on the face of the planet (Valentine’s Day), but I can’t let it pass without expressing my love for the best project in the world…
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How Do I Love Thee, PATH400?
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the length and breadth you trace,
A ribboned path through city’s busy space,
A trail of green in concrete’s crowded maze.
I love thee in the morning’s golden light,
Where runners pace and cyclists freely glide.
I love thee when the stars shine soft at night,
A peaceful place where nature walks beside.
I love thee for the bridges rising high,
For trees that whisper as the breezes play.
I love thee for the skyline stretching wide,
And steps that carry worries far away.
Oh, PATH400, built with heart and might—
I’ll love thee ever more with each new mile in sight.
Aaaaaaahhhh, how lovely.
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Now for the real version, a la Denise…
How Do I Love Thee, PATH400? (The Truth)
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee through the twists and turns you take,
Through steel delays and plans that hit the brakes,
Through setbacks that stretch into endless days.
I love thee though the bats refuse to budge,
Halting progress in their lofty nest.
I love thee though the bureaucrats won’t nudge,
Drowning us all in forms and red tape mess.
I love thee for each bridge that dares to rise,
For every beam that somehow made its way.
I love thee for the grit behind our eyes,
That stares down every roadblock and delay.
Oh, PATH400, stubborn, bold, and grand—
I’ll love thee more when shovels hit the land.
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And while we’re on holidays… Anyone else mad at that stinkin’ rodent who told us we’d have more winter? I’m over it. I want to play in the dirt and pour some concrete, but you can’t do either when it’s this freakin’ cold. If it ain’t bats, it’s groundhogs—give a girl a break, Mother Nature!
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Construction Update
Wieuca to Loridans
Things are moving at the speed of well not lightning, but progress is happening:
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- Welders are up in the treetops, slowly adding handrails—one precise weld at a time.
- Engineers are tweaking drawings for better trail entrances and a raised Loridans crosswalk.
- Landscapers are digging up trees now, so they can dig some new holes later.
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Project managers are crossing t’s, dotting i’s, and herding cats.
- City officials are scrambling to approve the legislation they forgot about.
- Party planners are scheming up an epic opening event.
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Loridans to the City Limits
I was telling you we’d start this section March 1st, right when the bats wrap up their business. That was before GDOT’s permitting system glitched for two weeks. So now? We’re off track.
At this point, my marble is bouncing around some bureaucratic labyrinth, waiting to be spit out so we can push it into the next level of this never-ending game. But don’t worry—several of us are out here pushing that wet noodle along.
Once we do get rolling, the official project schedule is 735 days...before Mother Nature has her say.
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Garden 684
In the spirit of no good deed going unpunished… Patrick from Livable Buckhead has been patiently wading through red tape to get our Garden 684 plans approved.
Fun fact: The massive tree leaning across North Ivy Road? Totally fine, according to the arborist. Sure, why not?
We also have a fancy riparian planting plan thanks to Mario at ServeScape, and we’re still aiming to open this along with PATH400 in June...yes, of this year!
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| Old Ivy Fitness Tunnel
Because Patrick didn’t have enough thankless tasks, he’s also managing the installation of new fitness equipment at Old Ivy Park on PATH400.
Concrete is curing.
Equipment is coming soon.
Couch potatoes, beware.
Big thanks to Community Foundation and Park Pride for funding these three new intergenerational workout stations—which will serve as daily reminders that you could be working out instead of scrolling on your phone.
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The PATH400 Pond
Shoutout to the Maxine Rock Day of Service crew who got way too up close and personal with the filth of I-85.
Armed with waders, questionable judgment, and a tolerance for two feet of muck and eau de sulfur, our volunteers (including students from UGA, GA Tech, and Wisconsin) pulled all the trash that drivers chuck out their windows. Disgusting? Yes. Rewarding? Also yes. Terrifying? Just a little.
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Want VIP Status? Join Our Exclusive Bridge Crossing!
Be among the first OFFICIAL visitors to cross the bridge with John A.!
💰 How? Donate $100 or more (if you haven’t already) by February 29th.
📅 When? Saturday, March 8th at 10 a.m.
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WILD THINGS: The Votes Are In!
The community has spoken, and our top three picks for PATH400’s safari sculptures are:
1. Giraffe
2. Elephant
3. Crocodile (the unexpected dark horse!)
Now we need YOUR help to design them:
🖍️ Download the template.
📩 Submit your vision to donna@livablebuckhead.org by March 31st.
🏆 Winning designs will be unveiled with the sculptures!
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That’s all for this edition of The Dirt. Stay warm, stay snarky, and for the love of all things PATH400, someone push that marble along.
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