The Decatur City Commission has shifted plans for the South Columbia Drive multi-use path due to the discovery of unmarked graves, compelling a course correction in the design near Legacy Park's portal. As per FOX 5 Atlanta, the unexpected find of 33 graves, thought to be those of children, initiated a change order valued at $35,919 for additional design work. The realignment aims to respect the dormant sanctity of the burial ground, reconfiguring the path's entrance and integrating stormwater improvements for runoff management at the reimagined site.
City officials are adopting the recommendation to amend the contract with engineering firm AECOM, adjusting the total project cost to $160,919. The revised plan now encompasses updated engineering, stormwater infiltration systems tailored to a 1.5-inch rainfall event, and additional erosion control safeguards. While landscape and lighting adjustments are also on the docket, the unforeseen discovery is foreseen to prolong the project's timeline by up to 90 days, depending on approvals and coordination with external bodies.
Regarding financing, the change to the budget will tap into Decatur's American Rescue Plan Act allocation, with the overall budget maintaining its $2.1 million mark for the multi-use path construction. In related infrastructure adjustments, the city has agreed on a $56,500 contract with AtkinsRealis. This move, funded through the city's School Zone Safety Camera Fund, plans to reposition school zone speed enforcement equipment to bolster pedestrian safety along Clairemont Avenue, a detail noted by FOX 5 Atlanta.
In parallel, WSB Radio disclosed that a special ground-penetrating radar survey took place earlier in the year to identify potential burial sites. Cara Scharer, a city spokesperson, informed WSB Radio, "The GPR survey was conducted in areas of potential disturbance to assess the feasibility for re-routing the path." The city is pressing forward with the redesign, which should conclude in 10 days, shifting the path closer to South Columbia Drive to avoid the graves. Officials are concurrently contemplating the establishment of a memorial honoring the interred individuals at the site.
As Decatur navigates the intersection of development and reverence for its hidden histories, reports from FOX 5 Atlanta and WSB Radio converge to depict a city attempting to reconcile progress with the dignity of past lives. With a completion target set for year's end, the South Columbia Drive multi-use path project promises to forge a new thoroughfare while pondering the weight of every step over silenced stories.
