Augusta Tomorrow Releases 2035 Vision Plan for Downtown Growth

Augusta Tomorrow showed off its 2035 Vision plan Friday at the Augusta Marriott. This master plan could reshape downtown Augusta over the next ten years. Four big ideas anchor the proposal: a "5-Minute Downtown" where you can walk to what you need, a bigger riverfront called the "Rippled Edge," a trail connector dubbed the "Green Ribbon," and a "Canopy Network" to save trees.

The "5-Minute Downtown" puts stores, parks, and services close by. The "Green Ribbon" will link Augusta and North Augusta through trails and green spaces. Meanwhile, the "Rippled Edge" opens up more riverfront space for people to enjoy. The "Canopy Network" saves trees that made it through recent storms and adds new ones.

North Augusta Mayor Briton Williams said the two cities share more than a river. "It's a river between us, not a wall. And what happens on one side of the river does benefit the other also. So it just makes sense for North Augusta to be to have a piece, a part of what's happening over here," Williams said, according to WRDW.

Mayor Garnett Johnson said this plan targets what comes next. "We're looking to take it to the next generation of amenities, of green space, of trails, so many great things that are going to enhance the quality of life," Johnson said.