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The BeltLine is one of those rare projects that has
the extraordinary potential to transform the City of
Atlanta. Over the previous two decades, the metro
region has grown as quickly as any major metropolitan
area in recent U.S. history. But the region’s
growth has come primarily in the form of widely spread,
disconnected pockets of development. Increasingly, residents
and businesses throughout the region experience the
negative consequences of such unplanned growth—long
commutes, poor air quality, auto dependency, and limited
public space. Moreover, this sprawl has led to
uneven economic activity. While the region has experienced
unprecedented growth and job creation, many areas within
the City of Atlanta have suffered from flight and disinvestment.
The BeltLine—by attracting and organizing some
of the region’s future growth around parks, transit,
and trails located in the inner core of Atlanta—will
change this pattern of regional sprawl and lead to a
vibrant and livable Atlanta with an enhanced quality
of life for all City residents. The BeltLine proposes
to combine greenspace, trails, transit, and new development
along 22 miles of historic rail segments that encircle
the urban core. This revived industrial landscape can
become the uniquely Atlanta solution and exemplary national
model for our scattered pattern of growth by providing:
- A connected network of beautiful parks and greenspaces;
- Trails and pedestrian-friendly streets to link existing
neighborhoods previously severed by rail and industry;
- A 22-mile transit loop allowing Atlantans to make
fewer auto trips among jobs, residences, and cultural
attractions;
- Enhancement of single-family neighborhoods;
- Preservation of surrounding historic buildings and
structures; and
- Environmental remediation of underutilized areas.
Each of these opportunities realized separately would
significantly enhance the overall quality of life for
residents. Taken together, they define a framework for
a truly sustainable Atlanta. Features of the plan
include:
Parks—over 1,300 acres of new or expanded parks,
as well as improvements to over 700 acres of existing
parks;
- Trails—33 miles of continuous trails connecting
40 parks, including 11 miles of spur connecting to
parks outside of the BeltLine area;
- Transit—22-mile transit system connecting
to the larger regional transit network, including
MARTA and the proposed Peachtree-Auburn Streetcar;
- Jobs—more than 30,000 permanent jobs and 48,000
year-long construction jobs;
- Workforce housing—5,600 new workforce housing
units;
- Streets—new and renovated streets and intersections
including 31 miles of new streetscapes connecting
neighborhoods and parks to the BeltLine;
- Environmental remediation—clean-up significant
number of brownfield sites;
- Neighborhood preservation—preservation of
existing single-family neighborhoods by providing
appropriate transitions to higher-density uses and
connectivity to other neighborhoods severed by the
railroad corridor;
- Tax base—an estimated $20 billion increase
in tax base over 25 years; and
- Industrial base—preservation of viable light
industry.
“WE CAN DEFINE THE KIND OF COMMUNITY WE WILL
BE IN 20-30-40 YEARS…GREENSPAC E , WALKABILITY,
TRANSIT, NEW INTOWN DEVELOPMEN T. IT WILL , WITH ITS
FULL IMPLEMENTAT ION, TAKE US TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF GREAT
AMERICAN CITIES”.
MAYOR SHIRLEY FRANKLIN, JULY 12, 2005
The BeltLine is an opportunity for Atlanta to shape
its growth for the next 25 years. At this time, approximately
100,000 Atlantans, or 25 percent of the City’s
total current population, live within walking distance
of the BeltLine. The Atlanta Regional Commission
forecasts that 150,000 new residents will move into
the City of Atlanta between 2005 and 2030. Over the
last 20 years, growth has been heavily concentrated
in areas north of downtown. Without the BeltLine that
trend will continue. As a result of the BeltLine project,
Atlanta will be able to proactively accommodate and
manage growth in an equitable manner along all areas,
particularly in the south and west where growth has
not occurred. The buildout of the BeltLine improvements
in combination with development incentives will promote
growth in all areas by providing urban amenities and
public space accessible to all Atlantans. It is
projected that approximately 50,000 people will move
to the BeltLine over the next 25 years.
Map
of 25-year BeltLine Plan
Atlanta BeltLine Redevelopment Plan
5-Year
Work Plan
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