Sidewalks are required on all streets, boulevards, and avenues in Midtown. The width of the sidewalk depends on the projected intensity of use. Sidewalks get progressively wider with the intensity of use, the type of street and the building use.

Residential Sidewalks
In lower density residential areas, the pedestrian realm consists of a grassed parkway between the curb and the sidewalk, in which trees are planted and decorative lighting is found. The minimum width of a sidewalk is 5 feet with a four-foot parkway. Along sidewalks with heavier pedestrian flow, the width of the sidewalk and parkway expands in one foot increments to 8 feet. In higher density residential areas, the sidewalk should be extended to the curb.

Commercial Sidewalks
Commercial frontage, either office, retail, entertainment, or institutional, requires wider sidewalks, a minimum of 15 feet. Planters, a minimum of four feet wide, have been designed along the edge of office buildings thereby separating the pedestrian from immediate contact with workers inside.
   Where existing buildings cannot meet these requirements, the maximum possible width up to 15 feet must be achieved. In front of existing buildings sidewalks been designed to be less than 6 feet from the curb for a length greater than the frontage of the existing building.
   In commercial areas, the sidewalks extend from the curb to the building. The recommended width of 15 feet expands to 40 feet in front of entertainment facilities and large retailers. Wider sidewalks are recommended for areas designated for sidewalk cafes.
   Sidewalk widths have been specified in the building volumetric diagrams based on the projected intensity of the pedestrian flow and the importance of the area as an open space park linkage.

Sidewalk Elements
The pedestrian realm is the space devoted to the pedestrians. It includes a sidewalk and a parkway, street trees and landscape features, pedestrian scaled lighting and other street furniture.
   Sidewalks within the primary pedestrian realm shall be paved in textured materials along boulevards, avenues and signature streets. A minimum of two paving materials or colors shall be used. The parkway material shall be differentiated from the remainder of the sidewalk.
   The secondary pedestrian realm sidewalks shall be gray concrete, scored in a small grid either diagonal or parallel/perpendicular to the edge.
   All corners have ADA ramps. All sidewalks shall have continuous crosswalks in character with the material and design of the primary sidewalk. A specific design vocabulary must be established which will specify materials, colors, textures etc.

Pedestrian/Street Lighting
Street lighting has been designed along all pedestrian sidewalks, streets and boulevards. The boulevards (Street Type 3) and signature streets (Types 4 ), shall use the Type A, Atlanta Light Holophane. All other streets shall use the Atlanta Pedestrian Light Type C and D. Lighting shall be placed to maintain a minimum light level (fc) for all types of streets and shall have a minimum spacing of 40 linear feet.

Fountains / Sculpture
Fountains and public sculpture enhance the pedestrian realm by offering visual highlights. They serve as urban landmarks, points of reference, and help establish the unique identity of sidewalk and plaza areas. They are placed at strategic locations near buildings that create important terminated vistas, within important key intersection improvements, and within proposed plaza areas.

>>Introduction

>>General Land Use

>>Transit

>>Pedestrian

>>Open Space /
>>Landscape

>>Street Types

>>Parking

>>Retail

>>High-Rise Offices

>>Housing