Beltline: Crucial federal funding still in place for tricky trail segment

Atlanta Beltline Inc. officials are optimistic the ball could soon be rolling on building one of the most complex sections of the 22-mile loop, following concerns the project’s federal funding could be yanked like that of other connective, urban initiatives. 

Pending final approvals and permitting, Beltline leadership hopes to put the Northeast Trail-Segment 3 project out to bid for construction by the end of 2025—and to begin construction in the second quarter of next year, per project officials.   

Doing so would require $25 million in U.S. Department of Transportation RAISE grant funding awarded during President Joe Biden’s administration in 2023. Beltline heads are awaiting “final signatures” on the grant funding and final authorization from the Georgia Department of Transportation before being able to proceed, according to the Beltline’s most recent construction rundown. The funding was perceived by Beltline leadership to be in jeopardy earlier this year.

When asked in late September by Urbanize Atlanta for clarification on where the RAISE grant agreement stands, Beltline CEO and president Clyde Higgs supplied a statement that didn’t exactly draw back the curtain, but read: “Atlanta Beltline Inc. continues to work with [Mayor Andre Dickens] and his administration to pursue the best course of action regarding the RAISE grant for the Northeast Trail-Segment 3 [and] connector trails. The Beltline’s focus remains on delivering the entire 22-mile trail loop plus 11 miles of connector trail by 2030 and driving economic impact across Atlanta and the region.” 

All told, the Northeast Trail’s third segment will be a relatively long one—2.4 total miles of Beltline trails, stretching from the current trail end at Buford Highway up to MARTA’s Lindbergh station. Included will be connections to the Armour-Ottley commercial district, Buckhead’s PATH400 trail, and several access points to public streets. 

All required real estate has been purchased, and Segment 3’s final designs were finished in May. 

But here’s the tricky part: The trail will have to include bridges that cross active railroad tracks (for MARTA transit and both Norfolk Southern and CSX freight rail) and Peachtree Creek.

The $25-million federal grant in summer 2023 marked the largest in Beltline history and helped kick off Segment 3 planning work. But in May, Higgs told Fulton County commissioners his agency might have to pivot toward seeking other funding sources, as the major federal grant was at risk of being taken back. 

Should permitting, GDOT’s final OK, and the construction timeline go as planned, Segment 3 still won’t likely open until sometime deep in 2029. Beltline officials estimate building the “long and complex project” will take roughly 42 months. 

Outlook on near-term trail openings 

Northwest Trail:

Meanwhile, on the flipside of Midtown, Beltline officials plan to cut the ribbon on the .7-mile Northwest Trail-Segment 5 during a ceremony the afternoon of Oct. 30 in Blandtown, introducing new off-street connectivity to several areas in the neighborhood. 

That event will double as a groundbreaking for another new Northwest Trail section, Segment 4. That .9-mile piece will branch off Segment 5 and bring the trail across Howell Mill Road, connecting to another new Beltline section running alongside Monday Night Brewing’s new The Grove. 

The Northwest Trail will eventually link the Westside up to Buckhead. 

Southside Trail: 

One of the most eagerly anticipated construction projects in Beltline history is now scheduled to entirely miss its target 2025 opening. 

After breaking ground in summer 2023, the Southside Trail-Segment 4 and 5 project has been clearing a path, replacing bridges, and more recently pouring concrete along a 1.2-mile stretch between Glenwood Avenue and Boulevard. Construction was originally scheduled to wrap sometime this past spring, and then this fall, but unexpected hurdles involving underground utilities have thrown a wrench in the timeline, officials have said. 

The latest Beltline construction update gives the firmest Segment 4 and 5 trail opening goal to date: January 2026. But work on the United Avenue bridge, where a swooping new pedestrian ramp is still being installed, will continue through sometime in the first quarter of next year, per officials. 

Beltline leaders are still optimistic the full Southside Trail will be poured, open, and accessible just before 2026 FIFA World Cup festivities begin in Atlanta, though some aspects of construction may not be finished.  

The 1.9-mile gap that is Southside Trail-Segments 2 and 3 officially began construction in May. Atlanta’s first World Cup match is 237 days from now. 

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