James_March-April_2026_web - Flipbook - Page 10
Buckhead is
poised to play
a great role in
Atlanta’s future.
– KATHARINE KELLEY
Program, the CID has received a $6.6 million grant to
launch an autonomous shuttle network.
“Soon, people will have a new, innovative way to
move around the community using some of the most
advanced mobility technology in the world. I am proud
of how the Cumberland CID and our partners continue
to innovate, leading the way for shared autonomous
mobility,” said CID Executive Director Kim Menefee.
Called the Cumberland Autonomous Network
(CAM), a fleet will be comprised of eight ADA accessible
autonomous shuttles, establishing a system to connect
Truist Park and The Battery with the Cobb Convention
Center, the Cobb Performing Arts Center and Cumberland Mall, as well as the Chattahoochee River National
Recreation Area. Through its partnership with Beep, Inc.,
a U.S.-based autonomous vehicle solutions company,
CAM will also integrate into the existing public transit
system of Cobb County, CobbLinc.
Perimeter cid: Great location & new developments
For long-time Atlantans, the Perimeter area may
be thought of as a place where people work or go to
the mall. But that is a decidedly outdated view. Restaurants, scenic pedestrian trails, public art and greenspaces have made the area into a place where people do not
just go from 9 to 5 but to a place where people move
when they come to Atlanta.
With the completion of the I-285/GA 400 interchange, getting around the area has seen a dramatic
improvement, connecting the numerous new developments, from High Street— with its 150,000 square feet of
retail and restaurant space, 90,000 square feet of office
space and 600 apartments, to Campus 244— 12 acres of
a walkable, mixed-use development and 380,000 square
feet of office space.
The Perimeter CIDs have both the challenge and
benefit of location across three different cities— Sandy
Springs, Dunwoody and Brookhaven. With these partners, the Perimeter CIDs have been able to bring these
developments and more to make the area more connected and livable. Anyone that has driven along GA
400 in the last couple years has seen some of this work
like the PATH 400 trail. More than five miles of trail will
run along 400 but also through the area’s numerous
parks and greenspaces, connecting to MARTA and
even down to the Atlanta Beltline.
Boulevard cid: manufacturing & freight
One of the newer CIDs in the region, Boulevard CID
is working on improving one of the most manufacturing
and freight heavy areas. Fulton Industrial Boulevard
didn’t get the name by accident. But that also means it
has a somewhat cohesive member base that can allow
for collaboration and innovation on a unique level. The
Fulton Industrial Clean Energy and Logistics Plan is
working with both freight and the public on delivering clean energy, whether for electric vehicles (EV) or
alternative fuel-charging infrastructure--- such as clean
natural gas (CNG). The plan is to position the CID as a
national leader in clean energy innovation (this is where
that nimbleness comes in), looking for ways to expand
and also test out pilot programs.
Many factors make the Fulton Industrial Boulevard
corridor a natural fit for this kind of strategy and innovation. The corridor is 11 miles long, with 4,800 acres of
land, 55 million square feet of industrial inventory, 554
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