The sidewalks in front of Phipps Plaza are ready for walking, another step forward for the Peachtree Boulevard project.

As planned, workers on Phase II of the Buckhead Community Improvement District's project are taking a holiday break, with the sidewalks completed. More work needs to be done, such as finishing the planters near Peachtree Road, but holiday shoppers can walk easily and safely between Lenox Square and Phipps. Phase II, to Roxboro Road, is expected to be completed by this time next year

"The sidewalks will be open," Phipps general manager Dewayne Herbert said. "We made it very clear that we wanted people to be able to move freely between the malls."

Herbert said that the Buckhead CID has also expanded its traffic control program to Peachtree and Lenox roads for the holidays. Atlanta police officers will be directing traffic from the malls, beginning Friday. He said that during the holidays, the traffic officers will be directing traffic starting at about 2 p.m. The Buckhead CID begun a traffic control program earlier this year on the Piedmont Road corridor,

The Atlanta Police Department announced this week that it is beefing up patrols at Lenoc and Phipps during the holiday season.