The Atlanta BeltLine is an ambitious project that is creating 22 miles of transit around Atlanta's urban core along with 33 miles of multi-use trails and 1,300 acres of new greenspace. The heart of the project lies in formerly unused, contaminated rail corridor originally developed before its surrounding neighborhoods. The Eastside Trail is the first segment to adapt and reuse this historic rail line that will eventually contain all of the elements of the Atlanta BeltLine vision.
The Eastside Trail, a 2-mile long section of the Atlanta BeltLine, connects five formerly divided neighborhoods. It contains a 14-foot-wide concrete trail and 30 acres of landscaped greenway. It also connects three major parks – including the Atlanta BeltLine's Historic Fourth Ward Park and Skatepark – and connects to a 19-mile trail running from downtown to the suburbs. This opens up new and safe alternative commute options and will eventually connect to a new streetcar network between a number of vital work and residential centers.
The challenge in reclaiming the Atlanta BeltLine corridor is common to former railroad sites: widespread, varied levels of contamination, particularly arsenic, which was used as an herbicide to control vegetation. The remediation solutions employed are applicable to not only former rail projects but to any site with widespread, varied levels of contamination.
The unique, 17-acre Historic Fourth Ward Park transformed a barren, contaminated site into a successful template of land use, greenspace and sustainable development for the entire Atlanta BeltLine. Stormwater solutions are disguised through artistic park features. Economic redevelopment has been jumpstarted by park amenities such as a greensward; a splashpad and playground; a recirculating stream and wildflower meadows; a multi-use field; and Atlanta's first skatepark. The final product is a park that reduces energy use, contributes to vital ecological processes and is maintained in an environmentally responsible way.
Project Address:
544 North Angier Avenue
Atlanta, Georgia 30308
USA
Developer:
Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.
86 Pryor Street
Suite 300
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
USA
Architect:
HDR, USA
Wood+Partners, USA