The Atlanta Beltline has finished the land assembly needed for its complete trail. The project currently has several sections under construction. It is expected to be completed by 2030.
Atlanta Beltline Completes Land Assembly for 22-Mile Trail
The Atlanta Beltline has completed the land assembly needed for its 22-mile mainline trail after more than 20 years of property purchases and negotiations. The project will connect more than 45 neighborhoods across Atlanta.
Over the past two decades, Atlanta Beltline, Inc. has completed nearly 200 closings, including about 90 property purchases and 230 easements. The properties ranged from small 15-square-foot parcels to a 65-acre tract.
Dave Pierce, Vice President of Real Estate and Asset Management at Atlanta Beltline, Inc., said the Beltline’s final land purchase was a 0.2-acre vacant parcel on English Street in the Blandtown neighborhood. The property is part of the Northwest Trail and was purchased for about $550,000. The transaction closed on September 22.
Several sections of the Northwest Trail are already complete or under construction. In June 2026, the Beltline opened 16.7 continuous miles of mainline trail, its longest uninterrupted stretch to date. The Beltline also began construction on Northwest Trail Segment 3B, which will include a pedestrian bridge over Northside Drive.
While the land rights necessary to construct the rail are secured, the Beltline may continue acquiring properties as needed for trail improvements and related projects.
Challenges in Completing the Northwest Trail
The Northwest Trail presented a different challenge. Unlike the other sections of the Beltline, it does not follow a former railroad corridor. Instead, it required a new alignment through established neighborhoods and business areas.
The Beltline worked with residents, property owners and businesses to determine the trail route. The preferred alignment was announced in August 2022, after which the Beltline began acquiring properties along the route.
The 4.3-mile Northwest Trail will connect Blandtown with the Lindbergh and Morosgo neighborhoods. It will link the Westside Trail with the Northeast Trail.
The Beltline also acquired properties along Peachtree Road in Buckhead, creating a 3.2-acre site that will support the trail, affordable housing, and commercial space.
What it Brings to the Community
According to a May 2026 Econsult Solutions report, the Beltline Planning Area has attracted $14.2 billion in private investment since the project began. The analysis also identified 318 completed private projects, with another 93 projects in the pipeline.
Thus far, 4,555 affordable housing units have been preserved within the Beltline. It represents 81% of the goal of 5,600 affordable units by 2030.
The successful land assembly is a major step toward completing the 22-mile Beltline loop. Now, the project will focus on completing the remaining trail segments, as well as its work on housing, parks, economic development, arts, and community programs.
The completion of the land assembly marks a major step toward completing Atlanta’s 22-mile Beltline trail.
