The Beltline: Where It Goes

 

Let’s figure out exactly where the Atlanta Beltline goes. When completed in 2030 the path will run 33 miles.

 

For fun we’ll start across the street from Ansley Mall. The Beltline crosses underneath the old railway bridge under Piedmont Avenue. It follows the rail tracks through the woods, behind the businesses across Monroe from my old house on Hillpine, under the bridge connecting Park Drive into Piedmont Park. The BL passes next to the park parking area and Park Tavern, crosses Monroe Drive and underneath Virginia Avenue and behind the Trader Joes across from Grady Stadium.

 

The Beltline follows the old railroad tracks past the site of old Ponce de Leon Park and the old magnolia tree, where a Home Depot now stands. Crosses over Ponce de Leon Avenue past the old Sears Building, now Ponce City Market.  Over North Avenue and Ralph McGill Avenue, under the Presidential Parkway and North Highland Avenue. Crosses Irwin Street near Krog Street Market.

 

Then the Beltline makes a left at Dekalb Ave, crosses under Edgewood Avenue through the Krog Street Tunnel, then left on Wylie Street almost to Flat Shoals Avenue. Then right due south through Reynoldstown over Memorial Drive and I-20, passing just east of Maynard Jackson High. The trail then bears southwest, eventually crossing Boulevard a few blocks south of Grant Park, then west past Carver High School south of University Avenue.

 

The trail passes under 75/85 just south of the University Ave exit, heads due west over Northside Drive (19/41), then bears northwest under Lee Street and the rail lines past Brown Middle School. Then continuing northwest, just west of West End, crossing under Ralph David Abernathy Blvd just west of W&MC’s Cornerstone Church. Then due north paralleling Langhorn Street and under I-20. This section is not yet open. 

 

The BL continues north through neighborhoods, passing behind W&MC’s house on Staffford Street, over MLK Jr Blvd and Hollowell Parkway near the Atlanta Food Bank. Not exactly sure this whole exact route. Only a three mile stretch is open right here. Then north past the Bellwood Quarry, up Marietta Blvd then east to the old rail line running just north of the Atlanta Water Works, crossing under Howell Mill and over Northside Drive just south of the 75 overpass. None of this is open right now. 

 

The loop is then completed as the Beltline passes underneath 75 and Collier Road, following the old railroad track route behind Piedmont Hospital, underneath Peachtree next to Benihana and my old Peachtree Park apartments, and on the Piedmont Road just south of Passion City Church, then doubling back under 85 and alongside the Ansley golf course, back to Ansley Mall. Not sure this section is open yet either.

The beltline.org website was obviously assembled by a bureaucracy, with longwinded posts on history and plans, but zero easy to use information, like what parts of the beltline are actually open. The map on the website looks like someone drew the route on a map with a magic marker. The map above is only slightly better.

 

Yet the beltline is highly touted by the mayor whenever she publicizes the city. Look at this - just not too close. Like they say about Atlanta - the beltline will be great if they ever finish it.