InTucker Magazine

Take a Hike

City of Tucker Awarded Federal Trail Grant

The City of Tucker announced last month that the City has secured a grant from the federal government to fund part of a proposed three-mile multi-use trail to connect Tucker’s downtown to the bustling Northlake retail district. The trail would ultimately require additional funding and approval from the City, with the Tucker-Northlake Community Improvement District (CID) contributing funds, as well.

“Anytime your city is awarded this kind of grant, it’s a big deal,” said Tucker Mayor Frank Auman. “This trail was first proposed back in 2005 by the Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) and has been included in subsequent LCI updates. It’s a project that, when the time comes, our Council will look forward to gathering public input and making a decision on how to proceed.”

The federal government is contributing nearly $1.5 million in funding for the proposed project, almost $1 million of that being dedicated to right-of-way acquisition. The City of Tucker would have to commit to just over $350,000, while the Tucker-Northlake CID has agreed to put up $50,000 toward engineering. The funding plans have been in the works since 2019, when the City and the CID submitted an application to the ARC for federal funds for this project.

“With Council approval, this project will help close the gaps between residential and commercial property in Tucker and provide an opportunity for regional connectivity,” said Tucker-Northlake CID Executive Director Matthew Lee. “From the pedestrian bridge over Fellowship Road to the shared use path across I-285 at Northlake Parkway, the proposed Tucker-Northlake Trail will bring people together in ways that haven’t been available.”

Plans call for the trail to originate at the future Tucker Town Green in downtown Tucker and stretch all the way to the reimagined Northlake Mall. It would be predominantly off-road greenway with some side path segments. The trail wouldn’t just help people get around Tucker. Plans call for a connection to the anticipated Top End I-285 Regional Trail, providing access to the Peachtree Creek Greenway, PATH 400, the Silver Comet Trail, and others. With final approval, preliminary engineering could begin later this year with right-of-way acquisition beginning in 2023. The City and CID would be eligible to apply for federal funding for future phases of the project.

The Tucker-Northlake Trail route is a part of the City’s 2018 Trail Master Plan, which lays out a network of more than 30 miles of multi-use trails throughout the City of Tucker.