ATLANTA — The planned 22-mile loop around the city known as the Atlanta BeltLine is one piece closer to completion after a ribbon cutting was held Monday next to Piedmont Park.
That is where part of the BeltLine's Northeast Trail is now officially open. It sits by the busy intersection of 10th Street and Monroe.
As runners and cyclists quickly moved along the trail Tuesday, the opening of the .9-mile-long part of the BeltLine represents the pace of the trail's progress in recent years.
"During Mayor Dickens' administration, we have had three ribbon cuttings, four groundbreakings and plus the opening of the Beltline Marketplace," BeltLine CEO and President Clyde Higgs told a crowd that gathered for Tuesday's ribbon cutting.
When talking with 11Alive, Higgs said Tuesday is also the latest step in keeping a promise to the city.
"We can say with certainty to the community now that we will finish by 2030 the entire 22-mile loop by the end of 2030 like we originally promised," he said.
By the end of the year, 85% of the BeltLine will be complete or under construction, according to Higgs.
Mayor Andre Dickens said progress on the BeltLine is coming at an important time.
"I can promise you by 2026, spring before the World Cup is here, we will have 18 miles of this thing completed," Dickens said.
The portion of the BeltLine that opened Tuesday connects the Midtown, Virginia Highland, and Morningside neighborhoods. It connects the BeltLine from the popular Eastside Trail alongside Ponce City Market, across the intersection of 10th Street and Monroe, up to the Atlanta Botanical Garden and into the Ansley Mall area.
It also sits in a spot that gives students a safe place to walk from Midtown neighborhoods to nearby Midtown High School.
As with other parts of the BeltLine, lights and cameras line the newest nearly mile-long stretch of trail.
"To ensure that everybody including our children that are going to Midtown High and going to and from other activities can travel safely," Dickens said.
Atlanta City Councilmember Alex Wan said a goal of the BeltLine is about connecting the city and building community and he referenced the BeltLine over the years continuing to meet that goal.
"It has also just become kind of a gathering spot," Wan said. "A lot of folks will say, 'Hey, let's connect on the BeltLine, and we will walk to this place or that place.' And I think that is when you know you've become something that has become part of the vernacular."