Athens, Georgia: Where Broad Street Is Too Broad

Athens, Georgia has come to the conclusion that the city's Broad Street may just be a tad too broad. Now what to do about it?

1 minute read

December 5, 2016, 12:00 PM PST

By jwilliams @jwillia22


Residents of Athens' West Broad neighborhood are ready to see some sort of transformation; however, what that transformation is is unclear as work begins on a new master plan for the area. Blake Aued of Flagpole reports that citizens have come to the conclusion that Broad Street, which divides the area, needs some pedestrian friendly upgrades, including more crosswalks.

...the state Department of Transportation widened Broad Street to accommodate the rise of the automobile and the strip-mall development lining the corridor, and crossing it became more difficult. There are no crosswalks except at traffic lights, which are few and far between from a pedestrian’s point of view, and no refuge for people once they get in the road. The Hancock-Broad intersection has no crosswalk at all. This divided the neighborhood.

“I’d jump up and down if someone would put a median on Broad Street and put some trees on it and make it look like people live on either side, and it’s not just this big commercial corridor,” said school board member Linda Davis, who also grew up in the area. “Making it walkable would be amazing.

In addition to the Broad Street issue, residents are also concerned about gentrification and displacement of existing residents, noting that any improvements shouldn't just be targeted to the new people moving into the community.

Friday, December 16, 2016 in Flagpole

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight