By using existing rail track easements that formerly encircled Atlanta, the Atlanta BeltLine is an incredible example of what it can mean to transform existing infrastructure into a monument. Designed to link the city in a whole new way, the BeltLine will ultimately connect 45 neighborhoods via a 22-mile loop of multi-use trails. In doing so, the BeltLine is fulfilling on a vision that promotes economic activity and redevelopment efforts while also providing residents and visitors with a place they can connect with the culture of the area.
Turning Rail Corridors into a Ring of Trails and Parks
Both the Atlanta & West Point Railroad the Atlanta Belt Railway Company worked on creating train rail lines that would enable the efficient transportation of goods into and across the city in the 1900s. These companies and lines would eventually be displaced, but the concept around turning these eventually abandoned rail corridors into a system of connected trails and parks began as a student thesis by Ryan Gravel in 1999. That led to the most comprehensive transportation and economic development effort ever undertaken in the city of Atlanta.
As one of the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment programs in the United States, the Atlanta BeltLine is designed to help make Atlanta a beacon for equitable, inclusive, and sustainable city life. It provides residents with an alternative future that combats urban sprawl but also connects the people and communities of Atlanta in a whole new manner. Over $10 billion in economic development, 30,000 jobs and the creation of 33 miles of urban trails are just a few goals of the program.
To fulfill these initiatives, the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership was formed in 2005 to be the nonprofit organization that helps keep the Atlanta BeltLine vision on track by enabling the construction of more parks and trails. It also engages the public through tours, health and fitness programs and special events while empowering Atlanta BeltLine residents to connect with affordable housing, economic development and a healthy lifestyle.
Scheduled to be completed in 2030, the BeltLine will eventually form a 22-mile loop around the city, with another 11 miles of trails that tie directly into neighborhoods and parks. New developments will further expand the experiences that residents and visitors can already have across the BeltLine.
Community Connections
The eventual continuous path that will encircle the city of Atlanta will mostly follow the old railroad lines but will feature numerous places for people to walk, hike, bike and congregate. By connecting nearly 50 diverse neighborhoods, the BeltLine is enabling community connections in a whole new way that has already changed the city.
The numerous parks and trails attract audiences of all types. Completed trails include the Eastside Trail, Northside Trail, Southwest Connector Trail, West End Trail and Westside Trail. These trails feature places for people to walk, shop and enjoy “Art on the Atlanta BeltLine”, which is Atlanta’s largest temporary public art exhibition that showcases the work of artists. Spanning seven miles of trail on the east and west sides of Atlanta, Art on the Atlanta BeltLine strives to make art accessible to all and ensures visitors can always experience something new.
Numerous BeltLine tours are also offered. The Atlanta BeltLine Partnership offers free, narrated bus tours of the developing trail on Friday and Saturday mornings, while bike and bus tours are provided by the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership. An active online community further connects people in person and online.
These activities are in addition to the numerous places to shop and relax all along the BeltLine, further showcasing how individuals and organizations of all types have been able to positively benefit from the changes the BeltLine has enabled.
A More Socially and Economically Resilient Atlanta
Events that range from committee meetings to outdoor concerts to organized 5K runs all take place on the BeltLine throughout the year. These events highlight how the BeltLine is fulfilling on a mission to build a more socially and economically resilient Atlanta. Organizations of all types have been able to partake in and benefit from these endeavors.
Numerous industrial buildings alongside the BeltLine have been repurposed for residential and retail use thanks to the activity that the BeltLine has created. An abandoned Sears warehouse has been turned into Ponce City Market, where numerous restaurants shops, apartments and office space reside. That’s just one exampe, as there is no shortage of food or drinking options either on or adjacent to the BeltLine trails.
In terms of direct support, the BeltLine project has spurred over $4 billion in private investment, with new developments coming together on a frequent basis. Additionally, there are many ways for businesses of all sizes to become sponsoring partners of the BeltLine. The Atlanta BeltLine Partnership also offers several Supporter Levels with various benefits offered at each giving level.
Like other redevelopment projects that have transformed abandoned infrastructure and inspired communities, the BeltLine has become more than a landmark for Atlanta. Featured as part of numerous maps and guides to the city, the BeltLine has created a legacy that ties Atlanta together in a way that will continue to benefit audiences and enable connections across the region.
“Where Atlanta Comes Together”
The slogan of the BeltLine is “Where Atlanta Comes Together,” which is what the monument has done in multiple ways. In doing so, it has fulfilled on a vision to add green space and promote redevelopment for Atlanta while also creating a legacy around how such endeavors directly enable economic growth and sustainability in the short and long term.
