BRASELTON — Braselton’s downtown streetscapes project has received some initial guidance regarding its design.

The Braselton Downtown Development Authority met Oct. 8 and suggested building materials and design concepts for the project.

The initiative, which will start after the Ga. 124/53 road realignment is completed, will involve building sidewalks and streetlights along Ga. 124 and from Ga. 53 to Interstate 85.

The project is one of eight initiatives that are all part of a 20-year downtown plan that residents created in 2002.

In August, council members chose design firm JJ&G to develop design plans for Phase I of the town’s streetscapes project.

Braselton received a $500,000 transportation enhancement grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation to design and construct streetscapes from where Braselton’s city limits meet Hoschton’s city limits down to the Ga. 124/53 intersection.

The town is looking to install curbs and gutters, streetlights, sidewalks and landscaping along that stretch of road. Once JJ&G finishes its proposed designs, the town will hold public hearings and seek public input.

At its meeting, the authority made suggestions concerning the project’s sidewalks, curbing and walls.

Members collectively favored using exposed aggregate paving, a concrete-based material, for sidewalks and a concrete or brick material to accent the sidewalks and border their edges.

Regarding wall designs, the group favored installing brick walls with granite caps. The short walls have been dubbed seatwalls because they will be short enough to allow people to sit on them, Town Manager Jennifer Dees said.

Additionally, members favored using granite planter curbing around tree bases to help contain any landscaping the town might install.

With these suggestions, Dees said JJ&G will create designs and then seek additional input from the Authority.

"This will be a long process," she said.