Atlanta Beltline, Inc. and PATH Foundation Celebrate Opening of Westside Trail – Segment 3

The ribbon is cut on the Atlanta Beltline Westside Trail – Segment 3. Pictured from left to right: Russ Hardin (Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, Inc.), Atlanta City Councilmember Byron Amos, Fulton County Commissioner Lee Morris, Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Justin Cutler, Clyde Higgs (Atlanta Beltline, Inc.), Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Alvin Owusu (Knight Park Commons resident), Greta deMayo (PATH Foundation), Jim Kennedy (The James M. Cox Foundation), Rob Brawner (Atlanta Beltline Partnership), and Interim ATLDOT Commissioner Marsha Anderson Bomar. Photo by Megan Varnes.

Newest segment of mainline trail connects Downtown and Westside neighborhoods with pedestrian- and bike-friendly mobility

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Atlanta Beltline, Inc. (ABI) and PATH Foundation held a ribbon-cutting today to celebrate the opening of the next segment of the 22-mile loop. This 1.22-mile segment of mainline Beltline trail extends from Law Street to Huff Road, running along Marietta Boulevard.

“The Beltline is one of the most important projects ever launched in Atlanta,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “It is imperative that we be able to connect neighborhoods that have been separated by infrastructure that now can be connected due to the Atlanta Beltline.”

“We are thrilled to mark another important milestone in the build out of the Atlanta Beltline,” said Clyde Higgs, president and CEO of Atlanta Beltline, Inc. “With the support of valuable partnerships like the PATH Foundation, generous funders, and other community partners, we are bringing greater connectivity and mobility to the city. Westside Trail – Segment 3 is a key piece of the puzzle to fulfilling our vision of residents having equitable access to opportunity.”

Running through the Knight Park/Howell Station neighborhood, Westside Trail Segment 3 brings long-awaited connectivity to the westside of Atlanta and builds on the Westside Beltline Connector, which connects Downtown, Vine City, English Avenue, Historic Westin Heights / Bankhead, and Grove Park with pedestrian- and bike-friendly mobility.

“Through PATH’s commitment for the past three decades, Atlanta has become one of the most interconnected cities in the country, and one of only a few major U.S. cities with a trail emerging from its city center that stretches more than 100 miles into a neighboring state. With the addition of this important Westside Trail, we’re able to give the greater Atlanta community equitable access to healthier lifestyles and a higher quality of life for all races, nationalities, and socioeconomic statuses,” said Greta deMayo, PATH Executive Director.

The trail will ultimately tie into the regional trail network to the Chattahoochee River and Silver Comet Trail, Westside Park, Microsoft’s planned campus, the Atlanta Beltline Northwest Trail, and Westside Trail – Segment 4.

“My neighbors and I are extremely excited to have the Beltline right outside of our windows,” said Alvin Owusu, Knight Park Commons resident. “The ability to walk right across the street and start running or biking is truly amazing. It’s been great to see all kinds of folks enjoying the Beltline on this side of town.”

Led by ABI and the PATH Foundation, the completion of Segment 3 required major coordination across multiple partners, including ATLDOT, Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation, Trees Atlanta, CSX and Norfolk Southern, and more. The project was completed in partnership with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program, in collaboration with Trees Atlanta. Lead philanthropic support comes from The James M. Cox Foundation, Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, Inc., The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, and The Ma-Ran Foundation.