ATLANTA — Atlanta residents in 45 neighborhoods could one day ride a light rail line along the full 22-mile Beltline loop after the City Council voted unanimously Monday to push the project forward.
What’s happening: The council approved a formal policy statement supporting development of a light rail transit system along the Atlanta Beltline. The vote was 100% in favor.
What this does and does not do: The resolution does not authorize construction or spend any money. It directs the mayor’s office, MARTA, and Atlanta BeltLine Inc. to develop a concrete plan for how the project would be built and paid for. That plan must be delivered to the council by January 26, 2027. The estimated cost of the full light rail system is $3.5 billion.
The background: The Beltline today is a trail corridor used by walkers and cyclists. Light rail was part of the original vision for the loop when the project was first conceived, but it has never been built. Atlanta BeltLine Inc. has set a goal of completing the full Beltline program by 2030.
What’s new: Until now, the city had no formal policy position directing agencies to produce a light rail funding and construction plan.
The path forward: City officials, MARTA, and Atlanta BeltLine Inc. have until January 26, 2027, to bring a roadmap back to the council.
B.T. Clark is the Publisher of The Georgia Sun and author of Principles Are Like Pants… You Ought to Have Some. Over two decades in journalism, he has served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc., earning multiple awards along the way. His work has appeared in newspapers across the state, including The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal.
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
