Brown called the thoroughfare "an eyesore" and said he was pleased that the landscaping improvements won't come at taxpayer expense. The company has committed to landscaping the median and the city's right-of-way on both sides of the parkway, Brown said.

Wieland has a significant stake in the area with its Centennial neighborhood of subdivisions and a possible annexation proposal just to the north that would extend MacDuff all the way to Ga. Highway 74 north at the southern intersection with Kedron Drive.

"This project will not include the first 100 feet or so adjacent to State Route 54 because of the ongoing road construction, but that part will be landscaped in conjunction with the city's Livable Centers Initiative plan after the road is finished in 2006," Brown said.

The road was built by developers six years ago after the city settled a lawsuit over the land use of the adjoining properties.

"We expect the plans to be completed in the next couple of weeks for review at which time we can tweak the plan and set a timeline for implementation," Brown said. "This is another excellent example of our City Council working with local developers on resolving infrastructure problems and improving quality."