The Atlanta Beltline and Community Leaders Celebrate Opening of Northeast Trail – Segment 2

Newest segment of mainline trail connects neighborhoods, Ansley Mall, and Piedmont Park with pedestrian- and bike-friendly path

Ribbon cutting on the Atlanta Beltline Northeast Trail on November 1, 2023. Pictured from left to right: Justin Cutler, Commissioner, Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation; Sonya Halpern, Georgia State Senator; Matt Westmoreland, Atlanta City Councilmember; Doug Shipman, Atlanta City Council President; Bill Compton, President, Piedmont Heights Civic Association; Mayor Andre Dickens, City of Atlanta; Clyde Higgs, President and CEO, Atlanta Beltline, Inc.; Reggie Roby, External Affairs Manager, Georgia Power; Rob Brawner, Executive Director, Atlanta Beltline Partnership; Jennifer Ide, former Atlanta City Councilmember; Alex Wan, City of Atlanta Councilmember, District 6; Cynthia Briscoe Brown, Atlanta Public Schools Board Member, At-Large Seat 8; Tamara Jones, Atlanta Public Schools Board Member, At-Large Seat 7. Photo by Erin Sintos.

ATLANTA (Nov 1, 2023) – Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, along with city and Atlanta BeltLine leaders, and community members held a ribbon cutting today to celebrate the opening of Northeast Trail – Segment 2. The 1.2-mile segment of mainline Beltline trail extends from Westminster Drive, NE in Morningside to Mayson Street, NE just north of I-85.

“The Beltline is, indeed, a people’s project and we are thrilled to have this destination be able to serve all of Atlanta’s residents,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “This is one of the most highly anticipated segments of the overall Beltline project. One of the goals of the Beltline is to help connect, and sometimes reconnect, 45 Atlanta neighborhoods and it offers a chance to bring vitality, economic development and mobility to more of our neighborhoods.”

This section of the Beltline begins at the end of Mayson Street, where it navigates under 10 lanes of Interstate 85, over the Buford-Spring Connector, and continues along Ansley Golf Course, Ansley Mall, and Piedmont Park, bringing pedestrian-and bike-friendly connectivity to Atlanta neighborhoods and the vibrant commercial areas nearby. This portion of the trail will connect to Northeast Trail – Segment 1, which broke ground on August 4, 2023, at Piedmont Park. It will also tie directly into Ansley Mall with a bridge across Clear Creek. This will be the largest gateway to date built by an adjacent developer, Selig Enterprises, and opens up access to the greater Piedmont Heights commercial district.

“The completion of Northeast Trail – Segment 2 is a significant milestone in navigating major infrastructure that has historically divided us,” said Clyde Higgs, President and CEO of Atlanta Beltline, Inc. “This paved trail crosses the largest highway to date on the Beltline, I-85, weaves together our communities, paves a prosperous pathway for our vibrant business community, strengthening the economic fabric of our neighborhoods and helping us create a more accessible and inclusive city.”

With Northeast Trail – Segment 2, 9.4 miles of the 22-mile Beltline mainline trail loop are now complete. In addition, 10.3 miles of connector trails have been completed that tie directly into current and future segments of the Beltline mainline trail. By the third quarter of 2024, 85 percent of the multi-use trail loop will be complete or under construction.

“We are excited to have the Beltline open in our community, not only for the significant increase in green space, but also for the increased connectivity within our community, to our neighbors to the south, as well as to Armour Yards and – eventually – Lindbergh Center to the north,” said Bill Compton, President, Piedmont Heights Civic Association. “We celebrate the growth of Atlanta and opportunities this brings to Piedmont Heights.”

The completion of Segment 2 required coordination across multiple partners, including Georgia Power, Norfolk Southern, Trees Atlanta, Piedmont Park Conservancy, Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation, Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, the Atlanta Beltline Partnership, and more.

The majority of funding for the Atlanta Beltline comes from Beltline TAD partners: City of Atlanta, Fulton County, and Atlanta Public Schools. Lead philanthropic support to complete the full Beltline corridor comes from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, Inc. and The James M. Cox Foundation. Additional funding comes from the Special Service District (SSD) and federal and state grants.

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About Atlanta Beltline, Inc.

Atlanta Beltline, Inc.’s vision is to be the catalyst for making Atlanta a global beacon for equitable, inclusive, and sustainable city life. As one of the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment programs in the United States, the Atlanta Beltline is building a more socially and economically resilient Atlanta with our partner organizations and host communities through job creation, inclusive transportation systems, affordable housing, and public spaces for all. For more information on the Atlanta Beltline, please visit www.BeltLine.org.

Media Contacts:

Atlanta Beltline, Inc. Office of Communications and Media Relations
100 Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 2300, Atlanta, GA 30303

Keona Swindler, Communications & Media Relations Manager                                          
(404) 477-3550, kswindler@atlbeltline.org