Tucker Awarded Nearly $1.5M Grant For Trail Through Downtown

DEKALB COUNTY, GA — The City of Tucker received a nearly $1.5 million grant for a proposed three-mile trail that would allow residents to travel from downtown to Northlake Mall.

The multi-use trail would ultimately require additional funding and approval from the City, with the Tucker-Northlake Community Improvement District (CID) contributing funds, as well, according to a news release.

“Anytime your city is awarded this kind of grant, it’s a big deal,” said Tucker Mayor Frank Auman in a statement. “...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.”

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. There will be greenspace along the segment with access to the Peachtree Creek Greenway, PATH 400, the Silver Comet Trail, and others.

Around $1 million of the federal grant would be used for right-of-way acquisition. The city would pay a little over $350,000. The Tucker-Northlake CID has agreed to contribute $50,000 toward engineering.

“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 in a statement. “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.”

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. The Trail Master Plan can be viewed online.