A portion of the Northeast Trail, completed by Atlanta BeltLine Inc. (ABI) and Georgia Power, is now open to the public. Currently in an advanced interim state, the portion completed is a paved future segment of the BeltLine currently available for use by hikers, walkers and bikers. The multi-use trail runs through the Piedmont Heights and Ansley Park neighborhoods between Ansley Mall and the Buford Spring Connector and is accessible behind Ansley Mall and via a ramp connection from Montgomery Ferry Road.
Known as Segment 2, the paved trail is 0.7 miles and will connect from the northern end of the Eastside Trail by Piedmont Park up to the Lindbergh MARTA station upon completion of the entire Northeast Trail. Permitting is ongoing for the next phase of work for Segment 2 to complete the full Northeast Trail buildout between Westminster Drive and Mayson Street. Upon completion of drawings and budget confirmation, this includes the addition of lighting, security cameras, landscaping, and connections to Westminster Avenue, Piedmont Avenue, and Mayson Street.
For Georgia Power, the construction on the trail is part of a larger project to replace and relocate a transmission line. Georgia Power has completed the segment to serve as a maintenance access road which will double as a segment of the Northeast Trail. Their construction scope included the fourteen-foot wide trail, an access point at Montgomery Ferry Drive, stormwater systems, retaining walls, and erosion control grassing. Trees Atlanta also planted bioswales along the trail segment, which will be continued in the next phase of the trail.
Concept designs for the northern and southern segments of the northeast corridor continue to advance. As part of the federally-funded trail design for Segment 1, ABI is performing an alternatives analysis to identify the locally preferred alternative alignment for the northeast corridor alongside Piedmont Park from Monroe Drive to Westminster Drive. Currently, it remains open in an interim condition with compacted railroad gravel and dirt. When a locally preferred alternative is determined, the consulting team will deliver a locally funded set of construction documents for the segment.
Additional portions of the Northeast Trail, Segments 3, 4, 5, and 6, which navigate from Mayson to the MARTA Lindbergh Station, are also under construction. Upon completion, these segments will include connections to PATH400, the Peachtree Creek Greenway, and the South Fork Trails and will build out access points from public streets. The project also involves crossings of existing MARTA heavy rail, Norfolk Southern and CSX freight rail and Peachtree Creek. Norfolk Southern Railway is currently reviewing several potential alignments for Segment 3.
In addition to the Northeast Trail, two other trails are under construction: the first segment of the Southside Trail and the Westside BeltLine Connector to be built by the PATH Foundation. This is the first time in BeltLine history that three major trail projects are underway at one time.
ABI is holding a public meeting on June 3, 2021 via Facebook Live and Zoom to present updates on the Northeast Trail construction.
To read more about the Atlanta BeltLine, click here.