Images: New Beltline interstate bridge, eastside pathway coming soon

Big changes are in store for a popular stretch of Beltline trail on Atlanta’s eastside between Reynoldstown and Ormewood Park—sooner than many users may realize.

Atlanta Beltline Inc. construction leaders said during an update meeting Thursday the Southside Trail segments between Glenwood Avenue and Boulevard are on pace for an official ribbon-cutting April 16, while the rest of “the smile” looping around to the Westside should be officially open before mid-June.

But those aren’t the only major developments in the offing this year.

Much of the Southside Trail’s Segment 6—a half-mile section along Bill Kennedy Way, stretching from Memorial Drive down to Glenwood Avenue—is set for a phased overhaul that could begin this summer, following Atlanta’s 2026 FIFA World Cup matches, per Beltline officials.

How plans call for the Southside Trail to approach its interstate bridge from the south. Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Scope of Southside Trail-Segment 6, east of downtown. Note: Trail changes north of Interstate 20 will be minimal, per officials. Atlanta Beltline Inc.

That section of Beltline, while popular, has been operating in an interim status since 2020. That includes an asphalt trail less than eight-feet-wide in places (much narrower than the Beltline’s typical 14 feet) and temporary Interstate 20 bridge lanes protected by moveable Jersey barriers.

What’s in store for Segment 6 is a “permanent trail solution” in two phases that should be 100-percent designed by this summer, as Beltline senior project manager Meghan Injaychock relayed during Thursday’s meeting.

Next steps also call for hiring a contractor for the Heath & Lineback-designed project. Detours for getting around all segments have yet to be finalized (ditto for street-closures on Bill Kennedy Way) but will likely include channeling Beltline users into the adjacent, Kroger-anchored shopping center and back to Glenwood Avenue.

The first section to break ground—from Glenwood Avenue up to just south of I-20—should start construction after World Cup festivities conclude in July, aided by roughly $7 million in federal construction funding, per Beltline development heads.

How the Southside Trail functions just north of Glenwood Avenue today. Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Plans for a wider trail, Beltline lighting, street furniture, and other changes just north of Glenwood Avenue. Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Plans call for swapping out temporary planters and removing on-street parking. A 14-foot Beltline pathway would be installed, along with trail lighting, cameras, more greenery, and street furniture that includes benches. That’s expected to take roughly a year to 18 months to complete.

North of there, the locally funded, 14-foot pathway will weave onto a new bridge crossing over I-20 with plantings on both sides of the trial, two-foot buffers, stainless-steel fencing, and the largest trees possible for “a much more pleasant experience,” per Injaychock.

Another touch, as visible from the interstate below, with be lighted Beltline signage that echoes the look of Peachtree Street bridges in other parts of the city.

Plans for concrete walls and plantings over I-20. Atlanta Beltline Inc.

How lighting schemes could differentiate the Beltline I-20 bridge from others at night, looking west toward downtown. Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Designers are “just trying to tap into a typology running through the city with some of our highlighted areas,” Injaychock noted of the bridge plans.

The timeline for building the bridge section is 18 to 24 months, though the outlook could be more specific once a contractor is hired. Other Segment 6 changes call for raised crosswalks at key trail intersections (including, likely, at Memorial Drive) meant to slow down both drivers and Beltline users, per Injaychock.

The existing Segment 6 pathway north of the I-20 bridge will be largely unchanged, beyond the improved intersections. “We’re not ripping up the trail,” said Injaychock. “We’re just building an entirely new bridge for you to use.”

Swing up to the gallery for more context and before/after visuals.

Current conditions for the Beltline's Interstate 20 crossing on the eastside. Atlanta Beltline Inc.