The 124-foot pedestrian and cycling tunnel under Medlock Bridge Road is open, giving Johns Creek residents a car-free route between The Boardwalk and the $560 million Medley mixed-use development set to open October 29.

The city will hold a ribbon-cutting at 9 a.m. Wednesday, August 12. Workers are putting finishing touches on the passage, which stretches 42 feet wide beneath one of the Town Center's busiest roads near Johns Creek Parkway.

Councilman Dilip Tunki said the tunnel makes it possible for visitors to park on the west side of Medlock Bridge Road, eat at nearby restaurants, and walk to events at The Boardwalk without crossing traffic.

"If people come to events here, they could park on the other side of Medlock Bridge Road, enjoy those restaurants and the businesses, and walk," Tunki said. "Those things definitely takes us a long way."

The project cost $7 million total, according to the Johns Creek Herald. Construction ran $6.5 million, with the remaining $500,000 covering right-of-way acquisition and engineering. TSPLOST (Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) dollars funded the work, which broke ground in 2024.

Public Works Director Brian O'Connor said the tunnel could double as an event venue. The interior features artificial turf flooring, which O'Connor said would make it easier to set up tents for festivals.

That capacity matters. An America 250 Independence Day celebration on July 3 drew more than 15,000 visitors to The Boardwalk, which opened in May.

Under a maintenance agreement the City Council reviewed on Monday, July 27, the Georgia Department of Transportation will handle structural integrity inspections. The city takes responsibility for cleaning, lighting, drainage, landscaping, and graffiti removal, as we reported July 27.

The tunnel is the physical link between the 192-acre Town Center's two anchors. On the east side sits The Boardwalk. On the west, Medley is rising at Johns Creek Parkway and McGinnis Ferry Road. Developer Mark Toro, founder of Toro Development Company and the developer behind Alpharetta's Avalon, is targeting an October 29 grand opening for Medley's first phase, according to The Creek magazine. That phase includes 125,000 square feet of retail, office space, and multifamily residences. Trader Joe's has already opened at the site, with Shake Shack, Sephora, Fadó Irish Pub, and more than 30 other retailers and restaurants to follow.

A second phase called Encore is planned for 2027, with a hotel to follow in 2028.

The ribbon-cutting is open to the public at 9 a.m. August 12 at the tunnel's east entrance near The Boardwalk.