Making a new path: Atlanta BeltLine finally set on route through Buckhead and Northwest Atlanta

ATLANTA — After many design and physical obstacles along with some neighborhood concerns, the Atlanta Beltline seems to have found its route through Buckhead into Northwest Atlanta.

“We’re ready to get this done,” said Atlanta BeltLine Inc.’s Vice President of Design and Construction Kim Wilson. “I can see us getting this finished now, so I’m extremely excited about moving forward and moving these projects under construction.”

Channel 2′s Richard Elliot was there Wednesday getting a look at just where the Atlanta BeltLine could go.

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The plan calls for the BeltLine to run from near the MARTA yards along Piedmont at I-85 and the Buford Connector west along Peachtree Creek, then along Peachtree Park Drive before it follows a deep railroad cut under Peachtree to some of the completed sections along Tanyard Creek Park.

From there, it will run southwest across I-75 to Northside Drive, then behind the Hemphill Water Treatment Plant along Trabert Ave. It will then cross over Howell Mill Road and wind its way through the Blandtown neighborhood before connecting with an existing portion of the trail at Marietta Boulevard and Huff Road.

Some Buckhead neighborhoods expressed concerns over the location of the BeltLine, due to worries about crime, crowds and construction. Wilson said ABI listened to neighbors concerns and took them all into consideration when planning out this route.

“We listened, and we evaluated those concerns as part of our criteria for deciding where the trail should go,” Wilson said. “So I think that feedback and that partnership with the community worked well.”

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This is the final draft of the BeltLine through this northern area, though it will still need to go through the engineering and design phase before any construction can start. This portion of the Atlanta BeltLine is the final segment to be planned out.

Annabelle Fandozzi lives along the stretch of planned trail through the Peachtree Hills neighborhood.

“That would be amazing,” Fandozzi said. “I like to run. I like to walk especially with the nice weather here in Atlanta. So that would be amazing. It would be super convenient for me since I live right here.”

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