East Ponce de Leon Avenue
Encyclopedia
Ponce de Leon Avenue provides a link between Atlanta
, Decatur
, Clarkston
, and Stone Mountain, Georgia
. It was named for Ponce de Leon Springs
, in turn from explorer
Ponce de Leon
, but is not pronounced with a Spanish-language accent. It is often called simply "Ponce".
It begins at Spring Street at the south edge of midtown Atlanta
, though it may have originally started a block further west at Williams Street
(across from Georgia Tech, one block east of Bobby Dodd Stadium
) prior to the construction of the Downtown Connector
. It passes West Peachtree Street and then Peachtree Street
, the city block
which has the BellSouth Building (now AT&T
) and the historic Fox Theatre
on the north side of the street. At the next two intersections, it takes multiple numbered routes from North Avenue
, which runs one block to the south and forms the boundary between midtown and downtown Atlanta
. Via one-way
Juniper Street southbound and Piedmont Avenue (Georgia 237) northbound, it gets U.S. 29 north, U.S. 78 east, U.S. 278 east, and Georgia 8 east.
After drifting toward the east-northeast, it passes Boulevard
(which continues north as Monroe Drive), and after Glen Iris Drive it passes the north side of the old Sears building, which was used as City Hall East and is awaiting redevelopment as Ponce City Market. That building is slated for renovation
and redevelopment
, as is the rail track on its east side, which will be a part of the BeltLine
. After the now-redeveloped Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant on the opposite side of the tracks, it passes the Clermont Lounge
and then the north end of Freedom Parkway, where it also picks-up Georgia 10 east. A few blocks further east, it crosses North Highland Avenue by the historic Plaza Theatre
, at the intersection which caused the surrounding Atlanta neighborhood to be named Poncey-Highland
.
After crossing the intersection of Georgia 42 (Moreland Avenue south and Briarcliff Road
north), it gets a sixth route number
: U.S. 23 north. Although still within Atlanta city limits, it also crosses the county line from Fulton
into DeKalb
at this street. The road begins to gradually curve back and forth, and is followed on its south side by South Ponce de Leon Avenue, the land between them being Oak Grove Park. A second segment of linear park
is called Dellwood Park, and around Clifton Road it finally leaves the city, just before passing the south side of the Fernbank Museum of Natural History
. A third segment called North Ponce de Leon Avenue surrounds a heavily forest
ed county park
called Deepdene Park, and on its south side, mainline Ponce de Leon Avenue loses U.S. 278 and Georgia 10 at a split with East Lake
Road.
After a northward curve, it loses its other four route numbers at a split with Scott Road, and continues eastward into the city of Decatur as West Ponce de Leon Avenue. Crossing the centerpoint of downtown at Clairemont Avenue (north) and McDonough
Street (south), near city hall
and the Decatur
MARTA
station, it becomes East Ponce de Leon Avenue. It then continues on through Scottdale
and downtown Clarkston to become Main Street
southward through downtown Stone Mountain, then becoming Stone Mountain Lithonia Road on its way south to Lithonia.
It is also an exit at mile 40 off Interstate 285 ("the Perimeter") north. The only way to access I-285 south is to exit onto Church Street, since this is a split-diamond interchange
, and the two roads run parallel to each other with a railroad line in between these roads.
, the Georgia Department of Transportation
has decided to begin the design of safety improvements for pedestrian
s on the two-mile stretch of Ponce between Piedmont and N. Highland/Moreland. Changes proposed include the conversion of an eastbound traffic lane
into a two-way left-turn lane. The land would include intermittent traffic island
s and "HAWK" pedestrian crossing
signals at selected crosswalks where no traffic signals currently exist.
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Decatur
Decatur, Georgia
Decatur is a city in, and county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. With a population of 19,335 in the 2010 census, the city is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name...
, Clarkston
Clarkston, Georgia
Clarkston is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 7,554 at the 2010 census. The city is home to the central campus of Georgia Perimeter College....
, and Stone Mountain, Georgia
Stone Mountain, Georgia
Stone Mountain is a city in eastern DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,802 at the 2010 census. It is an outer suburb of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area.-Geography:...
. It was named for Ponce de Leon Springs
Ponce de Leon Springs (Atlanta)
Ponce de Leon Springs were natural springs located on the site of the future Ponce City Market in Atlanta, where Ponce de Leon Avenue crosses the BeltLine, and where the Old Fourth Ward, Virginia Highland, Midtown and Poncey-Highland neighborhoods of Atlanta meet.In the 1860s, trips to the springs...
, in turn from explorer
Exploration
Exploration is the act of searching or traveling around a terrain for the purpose of discovery of resources or information. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal species, including humans...
Ponce de Leon
Juan Ponce de León
Juan Ponce de León was a Spanish explorer. He became the first Governor of Puerto Rico by appointment of the Spanish crown. He led the first European expedition to Florida, which he named...
, but is not pronounced with a Spanish-language accent. It is often called simply "Ponce".
It begins at Spring Street at the south edge of midtown Atlanta
Midtown Atlanta
Midtown is the second largest financial district in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, situated between the commercial and financial districts of Downtown and SoNo to the south and the affluent residential and commercial district of Buckhead to the north...
, though it may have originally started a block further west at Williams Street
Williams Street
Williams Street Productions, LLC, operating under the name Williams Street, is a division of Cartoon Network, which is owned by Turner Broadcasting, an operational unit of Time Warner...
(across from Georgia Tech, one block east of Bobby Dodd Stadium
Bobby Dodd Stadium
Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field is the football stadium located at the corner of North Avenue at Techwood Drive on the campus of Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, who completed the 2011 season with a loss to rival UGA...
) prior to the construction of the Downtown Connector
Downtown Connector
In Atlanta, Georgia, the Downtown Connector or 75/85 is the concurrent section of Interstate 75 and Interstate 85 through the core of the city. Beginning at the I-85/Langford Parkway interchange, the Downtown Connector runs generally due north, meeting the east-west Interstate 20 in the middle....
. It passes West Peachtree Street and then Peachtree Street
Peachtree Street
Peachtree Street is the main street of Atlanta. The city grew up around the street, and many of its historical and municipal buildings are or were located along it...
, the city block
City block
A city block, urban block or simply block is a central element of urban planning and urban design. A city block is the smallest area that is surrounded by streets. City blocks are the space for buildings within the street pattern of a city, they form the basic unit of a city's urban fabric...
which has the BellSouth Building (now AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
) and the historic Fox Theatre
Fox Theatre (Atlanta)
The Fox Theatre , a former movie palace, is a performing arts venue located at 660 Peachtree Street NE in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia, and is the centerpiece of the Fox Theatre Historic District....
on the north side of the street. At the next two intersections, it takes multiple numbered routes from North Avenue
North Avenue (Atlanta)
North Avenue in Atlanta is a major avenue in Atlanta that divides Downtown Atlanta from Midtown Atlanta. North Avenue stretches continuously in Atlanta from Candler Park in the east, across Interstate 75 & Interstate 85, along the southern boundary of the Georgia Institute of Technology, to Joseph E...
, which runs one block to the south and forms the boundary between midtown and downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta
Downtown Atlanta is the first and largest of the three financial districts in the city of Atlanta. Downtown Atlanta is the location of many corporate or regional headquarters, city, county, state and federal government facilities, sporting facilities, and is the central tourist attraction of the city...
. Via one-way
One-way traffic
One-way traffic is traffic that moves in a single direction. A one-way street is a street either facilitating only one-way traffic, or designed to direct vehicles to move in one direction.-General signs:...
Juniper Street southbound and Piedmont Avenue (Georgia 237) northbound, it gets U.S. 29 north, U.S. 78 east, U.S. 278 east, and Georgia 8 east.
After drifting toward the east-northeast, it passes Boulevard
Boulevard (Atlanta)
Boulevard is a street in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia. The street runs east of, and parallel to, Atlanta's Downtown Connector. It is bordered by Ponce de Leon Avenue to the north , and McDonough Boulevard to the south...
(which continues north as Monroe Drive), and after Glen Iris Drive it passes the north side of the old Sears building, which was used as City Hall East and is awaiting redevelopment as Ponce City Market. That building is slated for renovation
Renovation
Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...
and redevelopment
Redevelopment
Redevelopment is any new construction on a site that has pre-existing uses.-Description:Variations on redevelopment include:* Urban infill on vacant parcels that have no existing activity but were previously developed, especially on Brownfield land, such as the redevelopment of an industrial site...
, as is the rail track on its east side, which will be a part of the BeltLine
Beltline
The Beltline is a region of central Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The area is located immediately to the south of Calgary's downtown , and is sometimes considered part of downtown...
. After the now-redeveloped Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant on the opposite side of the tracks, it passes the Clermont Lounge
Clermont Lounge
The Clermont Lounge is Atlanta's first and longest continually operating strip club, opened in 1965. Located in the basement of the Clermont Motor Hotel at 789 Ponce De Leon Avenue, in the Poncey-Highland neighborhood...
and then the north end of Freedom Parkway, where it also picks-up Georgia 10 east. A few blocks further east, it crosses North Highland Avenue by the historic Plaza Theatre
Plaza Theatre (Atlanta)
The Plaza Theatre is an Atlanta landmark and the city’s oldest continuously operating movie theatre. It is home to several weekly and monthly events, including The Rocky Horror Picture Show and both the Silver Scream Spookshow and Splatter Cinema, mixed-media events featuring live performances and...
, at the intersection which caused the surrounding Atlanta neighborhood to be named Poncey-Highland
Poncey-Highland
Poncey-Highland is a neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, located south of Virginia-Highland. It so named because it is near the intersection of east/west Ponce de Leon Avenue and north/southwest North Highland Avenue. This Atlanta neighborhood was established between 1905 and 1930,...
.
After crossing the intersection of Georgia 42 (Moreland Avenue south and Briarcliff Road
Briarcliff Road
Moreland Avenue is a major city street that runs from southeast of Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and then along its eastern border. Upon crossing Ponce de Leon Avenue, it becomes Briarcliff Road, which is also an arterial road and runs past the Atkins Park and Virginia Highland neighborhoods of Atlanta,...
north), it gets a sixth route number
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
: U.S. 23 north. Although still within Atlanta city limits, it also crosses the county line from Fulton
Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
into DeKalb
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
at this street. The road begins to gradually curve back and forth, and is followed on its south side by South Ponce de Leon Avenue, the land between them being Oak Grove Park. A second segment of linear park
Linear park
A linear park is a park that is much longer than wide. It is often formed as a part of a rails-to-trails conversion of railroad beds to rail trail recreational use...
is called Dellwood Park, and around Clifton Road it finally leaves the city, just before passing the south side of the Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Fernbank Museum of Natural History, in Atlanta, is a museum in that presents exhibitions and programming about natural history that are meant to entertain as well as educate the public. Its mission is to encourage a greater appreciation of the planet and its people...
. A third segment called North Ponce de Leon Avenue surrounds a heavily forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
ed county park
County park
A county park is a park managed by a county. In the United States, county parks are lower in hierarchy than state parks. In the United Kingdom, similar parks for recreation are named country parks....
called Deepdene Park, and on its south side, mainline Ponce de Leon Avenue loses U.S. 278 and Georgia 10 at a split with East Lake
East Lake (Atlanta)
East Lake is a neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia, situated in DeKalb County.It is the eastern-most of the 238 neighborhoods in the City of Atlanta . East Lake is bordered by:* Knox St./Pharr Rd. and the Decatur neighborhood of Oakhurst to the north;* 1st St...
Road.
After a northward curve, it loses its other four route numbers at a split with Scott Road, and continues eastward into the city of Decatur as West Ponce de Leon Avenue. Crossing the centerpoint of downtown at Clairemont Avenue (north) and McDonough
McDonough, Georgia
McDonough is a city in Henry County, Georgia, United States. The population was 22084 at the 2010 census. Inclusion of the unincorporated neighborhoods surrounding McDonough, which are not part of a town/city, raises the population to approximately 30,000 from an estimate in 2008. The city is the...
Street (south), near city hall
City hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
and the Decatur
Decatur (MARTA station)
Decatur is an underground Train station on the Blue Line of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority rail system in the heart of Decatur, Georgia. It Serves Downtown Decatur, South Decatur, and South Dekalb. This station was opened on June 30, 1979. In 2005, a major renovation of the...
MARTA
Marta
Marta may refer to:* Marta or Marta Vieira da Silva , a Brazilian women's football forward* Marta Estrella, a recurring fictional character from Arrested Development...
station, it becomes East Ponce de Leon Avenue. It then continues on through Scottdale
Scottdale, Georgia
Scottdale is a census-designated place in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 10,631 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
and downtown Clarkston to become Main Street
Main Street
Main Street is the metonym for a generic street name of the primary retail street of a village, town, or small city in many parts of the world...
southward through downtown Stone Mountain, then becoming Stone Mountain Lithonia Road on its way south to Lithonia.
It is also an exit at mile 40 off Interstate 285 ("the Perimeter") north. The only way to access I-285 south is to exit onto Church Street, since this is a split-diamond interchange
Diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a freeway crosses a minor road. The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge...
, and the two roads run parallel to each other with a railroad line in between these roads.
Improvements
Ponce de Leon Avenue in the City of Atlanta is included in the Ponce/Moreland Corridors Plan as part of the city's comprehensive development plan., the Georgia Department of Transportation
Georgia Department of Transportation
The Georgia Department of Transportation is the organization in charge of developing and maintaining all state and federal roadways in the U.S. state of Georgia. In addition to highways, the department also has a limited role in developing public transportation and general aviation programs...
has decided to begin the design of safety improvements for pedestrian
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
s on the two-mile stretch of Ponce between Piedmont and N. Highland/Moreland. Changes proposed include the conversion of an eastbound traffic lane
Lane
A lane is a part of the roadway within a road marked out for use by a single line of vehicles in such a way as to control and guide drivers for the purpose of reducing traffic conflicts. Most public roads have at least two lanes, one for traffic in each direction, separated by Lane markings...
into a two-way left-turn lane. The land would include intermittent traffic island
Traffic island
A traffic island is a solid or painted object in a road that channelises traffic. It can also be a narrow strip of island between roads that intersect at an acute angle. If the island uses road markings only, without raised kerbs or other physical obstructions, it is called a painted island...
s and "HAWK" pedestrian crossing
Pedestrian crossing
A pedestrian crossing or crosswalk is a designated point on a road at which some means are employed to assist pedestrians wishing to cross. They are designed to keep pedestrians together where they can be seen by motorists, and where they can cross most safely across the flow of vehicular traffic...
signals at selected crosswalks where no traffic signals currently exist.
Major intersections
| County | Location | Roads Intersected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb DeKalb County, Georgia DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta... |
Decatur Decatur, Georgia Decatur is a city in, and county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. With a population of 19,335 in the 2010 census, the city is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name... |
Clairemont Avenue | Western terminus; road continues from West Ponce de Leon Avenue |
| Church Street | |||
| North Arcadia Avenue / Sams Crossing | Avondale MARTA Transit Station Avondale (MARTA station) Avondale is an at-grade train station on the Blue Line of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority rail system . It serves Avondale Estates, Georgia , Clarkston, and the communities of Druid Hills, Scottsdale, Tucker, Northlake and North Decatur... |
||
| DeKalb Industrial Way | DeVry Technical Institute | ||
| Scottdale Scottdale, Georgia Scottdale is a census-designated place in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 10,631 at the 2010 census.-Geography:... |
North Clarendon Avenue | ||
| North Decatur Road | |||
| Valley Brook Road | To North DeKalb Mall North Dekalb Mall North Dekalb Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in Decatur, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Opened in 1965, the center currently comprises more than eighty-five stores on one level... |
||
| McLendon Drive | |||
| Clarkston Clarkston, Georgia Clarkston is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 7,554 at the 2010 census. The city is home to the central campus of Georgia Perimeter College.... |
, Exit 40 |
|
|
| North Indian Creek Drive | |||
| Brockett Road | |||
| Clarkston Clarkston, Georgia Clarkston is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 7,554 at the 2010 census. The city is home to the central campus of Georgia Perimeter College.... / Tucker Tucker, Georgia Tucker is a census-designated place in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 27,581 at the 2010 Census. Although central Tucker, also known as "Main Street Tucker", is laid out as a planned "railroad town," it has never been formally incorporated. Municipal services such as... |
Idlewood Road | ||
| Stone Mountain Stone Mountain, Georgia Stone Mountain is a city in eastern DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,802 at the 2010 census. It is an outer suburb of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area.-Geography:... |
Rays Road | ||
| Hambrick Road | Hambrick Elementary School | ||
| Mountain Industrial Boulevard Mountain Industrial Boulevard Mountain Industrial Boulevard is a five-lane road that runs through the CDP of Tucker, Georgia. From the Stone Mountain Freeway to its southern terminus, East Ponce de Leon Avenue, it is considered Stone Mountain. It is also Exit 4 on Stone Mountain Freeway. It is also approximately long. It is... / North Hairston Road |
To Tucker | ||
| Rock Mountain Boulevard | |||
| To | |||
| James B. Rivers Memorial Drive | Eastern terminus Road continues as Main Street |