DeKalb’s South River Trail in line for 2.2 mile extension

DeKalb County is moving forward with an extension to the South River Trail, adding another 2 miles to the multi-use path.

Rich Alvarez of First Tee of Atlanta, DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson, DeKalb County Recreation interim director Marvin Billups and Marvin Hightower of First Tee Atlanta pose next to a sign at a portion of the South River Trail named after former First Lady Michelle Obama. (Photo courtesy of DeKalb County)

The county is in the process of evaluating proposals from companies interested in building the fifth phase of the trail project. The path that ends at Georgia State University’s Perimeter College Decatur Campus would be extended east to Waldrop Road.

The new 2.2-miles will mostly consists of a 12-feet wide concrete trail, but there will also be portions of wooden boardwalks and two steel bridges.

The South River Trail is part of the PATH Foundation network and will eventually connect to Atlanta’s Beltline.

The portion being extended begins near East Atlanta on Constitution Road. The DeKalb County commission has named that part of the trail after Michelle Obama, the wife of the former president.

Even with the extension to Waldrop Road, there will still be a gap before the South River Trail picks back up near Martin Luther King High School in Decatur. There, the trail continues east until it connects to the Arabia Mountain PATH.

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