Path400 grant

SANDY SPRINGS

Federal grant could kickstart PATH400 trail in Sandy Springs

BY BOB PEPALIS

Sandy Springs has applied for a $9.3 million federal transportation grant, which if secured, would help fund about two miles of the PATH400 trail through the city.

The trail segment would run along Ga. 400, from Loridans Drive (at the city of Atlanta limits) to the Glenridge Connector.

It would provide a critical link to establishing a regional trail network, as PATH400 is proposed to one day extend south to the Atlanta Beltline and north to planned trail segments from the GDOT and Perimeter CID. Currently, PATH 400 has open trails through Buckhead.

The city applied for the grant through the RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) program from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Surface transportation infrastructure projects that have a significant local or regional impact are eligible, said Caitlin Schankle, a transportation planner for the city.

Sandy Springs should find out if it’s received the grant by Nov. 22.

The city already has the $2.3 million in matching funds required from the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), Schankle said.

A rendering of the proposed PATH400 trail through Sandy Springs. (Special/City of Sandy Springs)

Food pantry in new location

From left, Maria Bravo, Ashley Olague, Jennifer Barnes and Abbey Mixon.

Solidarity Sandy Springs, which operates a food pantry to help families in need, has moved into a new location at the Parkside Shops shopping center.

The food pantry is located at 5920 Roswell Road, Suite C-212.

Atlanta developer Jamestown owns the center and donated the roughly 9,000-square-foot space to the organization. The food pantry will be housed there until the end of 2021.

Then, the group hopes to open a permanent food pantry at a new branch of the Community Assistance Center on Northwood Drive, said Jennifer Barnes, one of the co-founders of Solidarity Sandy Springs, along with Erin Olivier and Sonia Simon.

Solidarity Sandy Springs started in March 2020 to help feed families during the pandemic.