Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. (ABI) has closed on a major piece of property near the Atlanta BeltLine Westside corridor. The three-quarter-mile line is an unused railroad corridor stretching from Joseph E. Boone Boulevard to Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway and was acquired from Antioch Baptist Church North. It provides a critical connection between Northside Drive and the 1.8-mile segment of the Atlanta BeltLine corridor purchased in August 2018, informally known as the “Kudzu Line.”

The $5.1 million purchase was funded by T-SPLOST dollars, passed by city of Atlanta voters in 2016.  ABI is also grateful for support from The Conservation Fund who helped facilitate the acquisition.  Additionally, ABI looks forward to working with Antioch Baptist Church North, and other community partners, on continued investment in this area.

As part of the planned 33 miles of trail network, this latest trail will provide connectivity between the Atlanta BeltLine corridor and PATH Foundation trails leading into Downtown Atlanta. This future multi-use trail will become a critical link in the region’s trail network with connections between job centers, other development activities on the westside of Atlanta, Maddox Park, the Bankhead MARTA station, and the future Westside Park at Bellwood Quarry. It will directly connect the Vine City and English Avenue neighborhoods to the Atlanta BeltLine. ABI is currently working on a few remaining land acquisitions to assemble the full corridor while also collaborating with the PATH Foundation on funding opportunities to construct a multi-use trail on this corridor.

“The Atlanta BeltLine and its partners are paving the way for a more unified and accessible Atlanta,” said Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. “This purchase advances the goal of connecting everyone in the city with growth and opportunity.”

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the PATH Foundation and westside communities to expand on our purchase of the Kudzu Line and advance connectivity between Downtown, the Westside Trail, and the Westside Park at Bellwood Quarry,” said Clyde Higgs, ABI’s President and CEO.