Atlanta Beltline’s newest trails form ‘The U,’ linking key neighborhoods

“When our visitors are around, they’ll see a city that understands the value of connection and knows how to come together and get big things done,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said.

Credit: Estela Muñoz/AJC

Credit: Estela Muñoz/AJC

Colloquially referred to as “The U,” the completed portions of the Beltline trail now stretch from Armour Yards in Northeast Atlanta in an arc past Piedmont Park, Old Fourth Ward, Pittsburgh Yards, Lee + White, Shirley Clarke Franklin Park and up to Blandtown in Northwest Atlanta. In addition to 16.7 miles of continuous mainline trail there’s another 1.6-mile open segment via the Westside Beltline Connector Trail.

The newly completed Southside Trail segments stretch nearly 2 miles from Pittsburgh Yards on University Avenue in southwest Atlanta to Boulevard in southeast Atlanta. More than 20 Atlanta Public Schools, including T.H. Slater Elementary School, Carver Early College High School, and Barack and Michelle Obama Academy, are located along the entirety of “The U.” The segments connect to the Southeast Trail, which opened in April 2026.

“Twenty years ago, the Beltline was an ambitious vision. Today, nearly 17 continuous miles of trail reconnect communities across Atlanta, bringing that vision to life in ways few could have imagined,” Clyde Higgs, the Beltline president and CEO, said in a press release. “We are grateful to everyone who has helped advance what I often call ‘the People’s Project.’”

The Beltline has served as an economic boost for Atlanta, having generated $23 billion directly and through spillover effects, according to an analysis by Philadelphia-based consultancy Econsult Solutions Inc. Additionally, since its inception it has generated more than 34,000 jobs. Private investors have also seen fit to invest in the Beltline, with a recent Beltline analysis showing that every dollar of the $941 million of public money invested in the Beltline has resulted in $15 dollars in private investment, generating an additional $14.2 billion.

The Beltline not only serves as a method of transportation and travel, but also has cultural significance for the city. To date, nearly 800 art events and installations have been held on the Beltline, including Beltline After Dark, an annual series of free performances, and the Beltline Lantern Parade, where attendees with decorative lanterns can display them and walk along with musicians and other participants.

“All the things we care about, getting that quality of life, we can do it on the Beltline,” Higgs said. “You want to ride a bike to a medical facility, to your job, to home, you will be able to do that on the 17 continuous miles of the Atlanta Beltline.”

The Beltline’s 20th anniversary marks a number of other accomplishments, including its status as the world’s longest linear arboretum, linking to more than 400 acres of parks with more than 647 tree and woody shrub species. There are also more than 700,000 native plants on the Beltline that were planted along the corridor by Trees Atlanta.

Looking forward, the goal is for the Beltline to reach a completed 22-mile loop by 2030, along with the creation or preserved affordability of 5,600 housing units by 2030. As of the end of 2025, that goal is 79% complete, the organization said.

“(This connection) means more access, this means more mobility, this means more affordability and more opportunities for everyone,” Dickens said. “I believe Atlanta is a group project and the Beltline is the best example of that.”