Decatur planning multi-use path from new school to new property

The Moore Chapel (built in 1906) on the old United Methodist Children’s Home, soon to be renamed Legacy Park. A multi-use path on the east side of South Columbia Drive will lead to the property’s first driveway which curves in front of the church. Bill Banks file photo for the AJC

The Moore Chapel (built in 1906) on the old United Methodist Children’s Home, soon to be renamed Legacy Park. A multi-use path on the east side of South Columbia Drive will lead to the property’s first driveway which curves in front of the church. Bill Banks file photo for the AJC

Decatur has contracted with Breedlove Land Planning to design a multi-use path on the east side of South Columbia Drive, from Talley Street to the first driveway at the old United Methodist Children’s Home, soon to be renamed Legacy Park.

Breedlove is responsible for site engineering and designing City Schools Decatur’s new 3-5 Academy on Talley. It will also build the pedestrian/cyclist path on the south side of Talley fronting the school and linking up with the South Columbia path.

Assistant City Manager David Junger said that a final design should get presented to city commissioners in late October/early November. He added that he’s hoping for construction to begin next spring.

The South Columbia path will be about a quarter-mile long and much wider than a typical sidewalk at 10-feet wide with a five-feet wide grass strip. The long-term plan is to eventually extend this path along South Columbia and connect it to the East Decatur Greenway path at Katie Kerr Drive.

The project cost is $21,000.