The ribbon is finally being cut on the most highly anticipated new section of the Atlanta BeltLine in years. Segments 4 and 5 of the Southeast Trail officially open Thursday, adding 1.2 miles and bringing the trail's total to 2.5 miles from the Krog Street Tunnel to Boulevard SE.
The project started construction in June 2023, originally expected to finish by spring 2025. Unexpected underground utility complications at United Avenue and stretches of bad weather pushed the timeline back by a full year. Hundreds of Atlantans had already been using the trail daily, ignoring 'Keep Out' signs, before the official opening.
The new trail opens the BeltLine to the neighborhoods of Glenwood Park, Grant Park, Ormewood Park, and Boulevard Heights. It also creates safer routes to school for students at Parkside Elementary and Maynard Jackson High School.
By June, completion of the full 1.3-mile Southside Trail from University Avenue to Pittsburgh Yards will create a continuous paved loop exceeding 15 miles, a milestone that officials say will transform how Atlantans get around the southeast side of the city.
