Need proof the long-planned branch of trails in Atlanta to the famed Silver Comet Trail is starting to become real? Look no further.

After years of discussions and planning, Atlanta’s trek toward the expansive Silver Comet recently marked a key milestone with the debut of the Woodall Creek Trail. The .7-mile segment helps weave together growing neighborhoods Blandtown, Underwood Hills, and other areas. 

The trail project, which broke ground in February last year, marks the first segment of what’s called the Silver Comet Connector. That multi-use link will extend from Atlanta’s postindustrial Upper Westside district toward Cobb County and the 61.5-mile Silver Comet’s Georgia component—and off to Alabama towns beyond that.  

The Woodall Rail Trail follows Woodall Creek, a tributary to Peachtree Creek, through 10 acres of preserved forest in a part of town exploding with residential development. Also on the route are Bacchanalia restaurant, Topgolf Atlanta, colorful murals, towering trees, and a functional bioswale, among other elements.

Tight switchback with an Upper Westside Community District mural. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

At its southernmost point, the Woodall Rail Trail begins at a future connection with the Beltline’s Northwest Trail (expected open this fall), where Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard meets Elaine Avenue. From there, it wends north to the intersection of Chattahoochee Avenue and Chattahoochee Row at The Works, an adaptive-reuse shopping, food, and nightlife destination in Underwood Hills.

Led by the PATH Foundation, the project’s goal was to help preserve the forest and install a safe passage for walking and biking in a part of Atlanta known for lacking sidewalks and parks. 

Courtesy of PATH Foundation/Upper Westside CID

Atlanta developer Selig Enterprises, which owns The Works, installed a crosswalk and traffic signal intended to keep trail users safer as they cross Chattahoochee Avenue toward the mixed-use district, and vice versa. Selig is also working with PATH Foundation and Upper Westside CID officials to bring the next Silver Comet Connector section through properties around The Works that front Chattahoochee Avenue along Woodall Creek. 

Swing up to the gallery to see how the first Connector section came together—no pedaling required. (Spoiler: It must might look better than renderings suggested.) 

Courtesy of PATH Foundation/Upper Westside CID

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