Gresham Smith Joins the SCAPE Team for 100-Mile Chattahoochee River Greenway Study
Gresham Smith is proud to join a team led by SCAPE, a New York-based landscape architecture and urban design studio, for an 18-month study of a 100-mile section of the Chattahoochee River between Buford Dam and Chattahoochee Bend State Park. The Atlanta Regional Commission is overseeing the publicly funded project along with the City of Atlanta, The Trust for Public Land and Cobb County. The Team will focus on identifying opportunities for introducing multi-use greenways and greenspace development, with a goal of improving connections and access to what many consider to be one of the region’s most valued but underutilized natural resources. The group will also design a pilot project concept for a 1.5-mile segment of the river corridor that will help demonstrate the vision for the entire corridor.
“Many people in the area don’t have a relationship with the Chattahoochee River or aren’t sure how to access it,” commented Erin Thoresen, AICP, transportation planner at Gresham Smith. “Research has shown that spending time in nature can improve physical and mental health, so we’re motivated to find ways to equalize access and help the river become a major asset to all members of the local communities. Everyone has a right to be part of the Chattahoochee River system. The Team is motivated to engage with the public on our efforts, position the river as a treasured asset, preserve its ecological benefits, and truly redefine people’s experience with the Chattahoochee.”
“Gresham Smith is honored to partner with the tremendous organizations that are driving this effort and to work closely with SCAPE on the details of this study,” said Louis Johnson, PLA, ASLA, senior landscape architect at Gresham Smith. “The project is bringing together planners, engineers and landscape architects, and will be involved in every aspect of the design process. The Team is committed to bringing high-level, visionary, creative ideas to the table that also practically consider regulations and physical challenges associated with designing trails in the area. I believe our local knowledge and relationships with many of the cities up and down the corridor will be especially valuable as we progress through the study and identify the best solutions for everyone involved.”
Biohabitats, New South Associates, Edward-Pitman Environmental, Inc., Na’Taki Osborne Jelks, Ph.D., MPH, and Richard Milligan, Ph.D., are also part of the design team. The study commenced in late 2018 and is expected to complete in early 2020.