Only two stretches of missing concrete stand in the way of a contiguous Atlanta Beltline corridor linking southern Buckhead to the doorstep of Zoo Atlanta, a distance of more than seven miles. 

Beltline officials tell Urbanize Atlanta this week Southside Trail–Segments 4 and 5 are now scheduled to open in March, pending any delays caused by weather or “unforeseen conditions” uncovered during construction. 

The sections in question stretch 1.2 miles from Glenwood Avenue down to Boulevard. 

“We’re excited for this one just like the community,” said Beltline spokesperson Keona Swindler via email. 

Location of Southside Trail—Segments 4 and 5, totaling 1.2 miles, in relation to the full 22-mile loop. Atlanta Beltline Inc.

A site visit on Saturday showed a small gap in poured trail remains at the Boulevard intersection. 

At the northern end, near Glenwood Park, grading and duct-bank installation continues along a larger gap north of Ormewood Avenue, stretching a distance of roughly four blocks. Security cameras and lighting installation also must be complete before the trail is officially open, according to Beltline officials. 

A March opening would mean the Southside Trail sections in question, which started construction in June 2023, would be delayed by roughly a year from initial projections. 

For observers and eager would-be patrons, the construction process has been a series of moved goalposts. Unexpected hurdles involving underground utilities at United Avenue, among other complications, have thwarted the Beltline’s revised goals of having the trail open by summer and fall last year, and then this month.

Where paving work currently ends at Ormewood Avenue. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

At the southern end of Beltline segments in question, only this gap remains until the closed trail reaches Boulevard, a key north-south corridor where Complete Streets upgrades are underway. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Once the trail is open, a key connecting point—a snaking, elevated ramp that’s been poured at United Avenue—will remain under construction and closed. (Have a look at ongoing work from various perspectives in the photo gallery above.) 

Meanwhile, west of Boulevard, the last Southside Trail sections to be built (Segments 2 and 3) are also expected to see concrete poured in March, per the Beltline. The agency maintains the full trail will be open and accessible before FIFA World Cup 2026 festivities in June, though some ancillary construction projects will continue.  

The Southside Trail gaps are crucial for both transportation and leisure. When finished, they’ll link together finished trails that run down the east and west sides of Atlanta, creating a nearly 18-mile J of contiguous mainline Beltline pathways and linking together dozens of neighborhoods. 

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• Photos: Newest Beltline section lends fresh perspectives on Atlanta (Urbanize Atlanta)