Big Midtown Juniper Street reconstruction project begins

Juniper Street reconstruction underway

After over 10 years of delays, construction is underway for Juniper Street. It's expected to undergo a complete renovation, creating dedicated bike lanes and wider sidewalks along a 12-block stretch. FOX 5 spoke to residents who are looking forward to the change.

ATLANTA - Midtown's walkability is just one of many reasons why people choose to live there.

"Everything is kind of nearby," said resident Andrew Hutchinson. "There's a lot of great restaurants like within a one block radius of where we're standing right now. There's a bunch of nice roads down there where we can take the dog for a walk."

Organizers behind the Juniper Complete Street Project say construction in the area will only help improve the pedestrian experience.

The 12-block project between 14th Street and Ponce de Leon Avenue is expected to create dedicated bikeways with barriers to traffic, wider sidewalks, and new greenery along the roadway. It is also expected to keep traffic flowing smoothly and calmly, according to information posted on the Midtown Alliance website.

Parallel parking spots are also included to add another barrier for cyclists.

Proposed improvements for Juniper Street Bicycle / Pedestrian Facilities Project from 14th St to Ponce de Leon Avenue (Credit: Midtown Alliance)

"Having the lanes come up to the curb, there's no opportunity for safe cycling and especially like over there the sidewalk kind of runs right into the road," Hutchinson noted.

"As a pedestrian, if you want to cross the street safely [and] you're going to walk with your dog or something like that, it's a little tight," Hutchinson said. "I like having that extra space – the extra mobility – for people who want to enjoy the weather."

The project was originally proposed back in 2010, but faced delays from the city. It comes at a cost of $8.7 million which includes a mix of impact fees, federal and state grants, and funds from the midtown improvement district.

Construction is expected to take about 20 months for completion, starting at 14th Street. One side of the road will be worked on at a time.