Atlanta City Council District 6 Newsletter

New Monroe Drive Crosswalk Protocol
The new HAWK system on Monroe Drive is now operational. The system allows pedestrians to activate a red light to safely cross Monroe Drive near the new entrance to Piedmont Park.

We understand that there is some question as to the proper driving protocol for this intersection. The proper sequence of operation for the HAWK system is as follows:

The signal is at rest (dark).
At the point of activation by a pedestrian the signal will go to a flashing yellow warning the motorist to stop.
The HAWK signal will then go from flashing yellow to a steady red simultaneously with the walk indication shown on the pedestrian signal. During this phase all vehicles must stop.
After the Walk phase expires, the pedestrian signal will show a flashing Hand (Don't Walk) at the same time the HAWK is flashing red. During this phase vehicles in the front at the stop bar may proceed after the crosswalk is cleared of pedestrians. Other vehicles in the queue may proceed through the light after stopping momentarily to make sure no pedestrians are in the crosswalk.
Once the system has timed out the HAWK will go dormant until a pedestrian activates the system.

Bike Boxes - What's All The Green Paint About?
You may have noticed bike boxes popping up around town. What are they and how do you use them? A bike box is a colored area at a signalized intersection that allows bicyclists to pull in front of waiting traffic. Designed to be used only at red lights, the box is intended to reduce car-bike conflicts, increase cyclist visibility and provide bicyclists with a head start when the light turns green.

Bike Boxes

More detailed information about bike boxes and how they work can be found on the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition's website.

Love Your Block Grants in District 6
Since June 2012, the Love Your Block (LYB) program has supported 116 groups across Atlanta with external mini-grants of up to $1,000 and tool rental credits. This initiative is in partnership with The Mayor's Office, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Hands on Atlanta, and the Atlanta Community Tool Bank.

LYB's primary mission is to mobilize Atlantans to volunteer and help beautify their local communities -- meeting Mayor Reed's vision to keep Atlanta clean, green, and beautiful. Key community sponsors include: The Home Depot Foundation, The UPS Foundation, Cities of Service, and Fifth Third Bank.

Out of 39 total groups, LYB is please to be supporting the following three District 6 neighborhood groups:

Lindbergh Lavista Corridor Coalition - will enhance the Armand greenspace by removing invasive species and replacing with shrubs, trees, and perennials to improve the existing path
Lullwater Garden Club - enhancing Lullwater Conservation Garden with more flowers around the entrance as well as installing a bench to honor a community member, Jean Johnson Givens
Maiden Trail Conservation Group - will be adding gravel, address markers along the fence, and planting native plants through the alley that runs the entire length of Saint Charles Ave between Frederica St and Barnett St

Virginia-Highland enjoys a rich history, a diverse urban fabric and a distinct sense of place among Atlanta’s in-town neighborhoods.

In the early 1900s, trolley lines were extended northeast from Atlanta along the “Nine Mile Circle,” offering city residents access to the breezes of higher elevations. The legendary medicinal waters of Ponce de Leon Springs also attracted people to the area.

The area’s first subdivisions offered affordable homes (primarily single-family bungalows) to a growing professional and middle class. A new wave of industry arrived with the Ford Motor Company factory and the Sears retail distribution center along Ponce de Leon Avenue, prompting even more single-family homes and multi-family units to be built.

The community suffered a period of decline in the mid-20th century due to the lure of outer suburbs, the impact of integration and, eventually, the Georgia Highway Department’s announcement that a 6-lane highway – I-485 – would be built straight through the neighborhood. The new highway would have crossed parks, created a diamond interchange at the western end of Virginia Avenue, and obliterated hundreds of homes.

A small group of residents began working with other neighboring civic groups and formed the Virginia-Highland Civic Association (VHCA) to combat—and ultimately defeat—the planned highway. This presented the opportunity to formally consolidate the various subdivisions as “Virginia-Highland” and define the geographic boundaries of the community we know today (roughly, Briarcliff Road to the east, Ponce de Leon Avenue to the south, Monroe Drive to the west and Amsterdam Avenue to the north).

The strong community activists that joined forces to halt the highway construction ensured the survival of Virginia-Highland. Scores of middle-class families left the neighborhood for distant suburbs, yet the new culture of activists, including some involved in the anti-war protests and counter-culture movement, took up residence.

During the 1970s young professionals and families began moving back into the city, renovating run-down houses and embracing in-town living. Hip restaurants and boutique shops replaced the utilitarian services that occupied the retail storefronts in earlier decades. Virginia-Highland began to thrive again.

Many of the same factors that contributed to its initial development—access to major business centers, excellent schools, bustling local shops and an unpretentious culture—continue to attract new residents to Virginia-Highland. The unique culture of spirited dialogue and debate—part of the heritage of the highway fight—characterizes the community as it strikes a balance between being a hip, vibrant commercial district and an relaxed, enjoyable residential neighborhood.

Today, Virginia-Highland is served educationally by Springdale Park Elementary School, Inman Middle School, and nearby Grady High School. The neighborhood is also home to three outstanding green spaces – John Howell Park, Orme Park and New Highland Park – while the city’s crown jewel of green spaces – Piedmont Park – is just around the corner.

Two primary fund-raising events sponsored by the VHCA each year provide funding for numerous community-focused projects. Summerfest, a two-day festival of art, music and food, takes place along Virginia Avenue during the first full weekend in June (this weekend: June 7-8, 2014); and a Tour of Homes – which combines tours of outstanding Virginia-Highland homes with tastings from local restaurants – is held in early December.

You can learn more about Virginia-Highland by visiting the VHCA website where you can also sign up to for electronic updates which deliver the latest and greatest news about one of Atlanta’s most livable in-town communities.

Note: The historical content above is adapted from Images of America: Virginia-Highland (Arcadia Publishing, 2011) by Karri Hobson-Pape and Lola Carlisle.