Western Parallel Connector Road Being Built Near Atlanta
Construction of the highly-anticipated Western Parallel Connector in Henry County, Ga., on the southeast edge of Atlanta, got under way recently with the start of land clearing activities, county officials said in a Nov. 7 news release.
The connector is a new roadway project designed to improve transportation and enhance connectivity in the growing municipality. Led by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), in collaboration with the Henry County Government, the major infrastructure effort will one day alleviate congestion, streamline traffic flow and provide a critical alternative route for residents, businesses and visitors alike, local officials said.
When open for passenger vehicle travel in two years, it will carry traffic through an unincorporated part of the county and through a portion of the city of Stockbridge along the west side of Interstate 75 from Jonesboro Road to Hudson Bridge Road, a distance of approximately 3.3 mi.
Construction activities will take place at the existing fourway intersection of Jonesboro Road and Mount Olive Road and proceed north on the existing alignment approximately 1,600 ft. before continuing on a new location and ending at the current intersection of Hudson Bridge Road.
The new roadway will consist of four lanes (two in each direction) separated by an 18-ft.-wide raised median.
see CONNECTOR page 6
Officials Open Beltline Trail Segment in Buckhead
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens was on hand in the city’s Buckhead neighborhood Nov. 12, accompanied by Clyde Higgs, president and CEO of Atlanta Beltline Inc. and other community leaders, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Beltline’s Northeast Trail — Segment 1.
This 0.9-mi.-long segment of the mainline Beltline loop begins at the improved intersection of 10th Street and Monroe Drive and extends along Piedmont Park to Westminster Drive. Its completion marks the Beltline’s first expansion into this area of Buckhead.
Among this Northeast Trail segment’s features is a suspension bridge over Peachtree Creek, creating a unique natural experience for people as the trail extends north.
The new segment of the trail also will traverse through the Peachtree Park
Apartments community, after extensive coordination with the property owner to minimize impacts to current residents.
“The Beltline has become one of the most influential transportation projects in the nation,” Dickens told the crowd gathered for the event. “This is more than just a trail project — it is embodying the collective vision of bringing the city together to reconnect our communities. And we’re doing just that. The Northeast Trail is one of the most anticipated segments of the entire project, giving residents greater access to the legendary Piedmont Park, crucial transportation improvements, and enhanced safety measures at 10th and Monroe.”
The portion of the Beltline just opened links to the existing Eastside Trail and Northeast Trail — Segment 2, connecting the neighborhoods of Midtown, Virginia
Highland and Morningside. It also includes Piedmont Park’s Carriage Trail, which connects Westminster Drive to Evelyn Street and the Westminster Trail Bridge, according to news release from the Beltline.
For his part, Higgs discussed the significant milestone marked by the completion of the new segment, stating “This project provides Atlantans with a safe, accessible and equitable way to navigate the city, linking neighborhoods and offering expanded access to Atlanta’s ‘emerald necklace,’ connecting residents to beloved spaces like Piedmont Park.”
The 10th and Monroe intersection, a critical improvement of Northeast Trail — Segment 1, was built in partnership with the city of Atlanta and the Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT). The intersection, which connects the Eastside Trail, Piedmont
Park and the Northeast Trail, is among the busiest along the Beltline.
Now finished, the highly-anticipated roadway project will increase pedestrian and bicycle safety and accessibility. The redesigned intersection also provides Atlanta Public School students and trail users with a safer route through a heavily trafficked area, ensuring a secure and accessible path across the city’s busy roadway.
Northeast Trail — Segment 1 is currently open with only minor limitations due to the final installation work under way on railings and handrails. Landscaping and the completion of other secondary work will take place in the upcoming winter months, according to Atlanta Beltline.
With the latest trail segment’s completion, the Beltline has now delivered 11.3 mi. of
Henry County, Ga., photo
Construction of the highly-anticipated Western Parallel Connector in Henry County, Ga., on the southeast edge of Atlanta, got under way recently with the start of land clearing activities, county officials said in a Nov. 7 news release.
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Admin. Acquires Necessary Land to Complete Beltline Trail
the 22-mi. Beltline mainline loop, and 85 percent of the mainline trail is now complete or under construction.
Land Purchase Key to Connecting NW Trail to Beltline
On Oct. 31, Atlanta Beltline also announced that, in collaboration with the Dickens administration, it had acquired roughly 1 acre of land at 2110 Peachtree Rd., which included three parcels needed to complete Segment 2 of the Northwest Trail, and marking the first acquisition along the city’s iconic Peachtree corridor.
While much of the Beltline is being built on former freight railroad right of way, there are a few portions of trail where the Beltline needs to purchase land to complete and connect the entire loop. The company’s engineering, real estate and economic development teams collaborated with the PATH Foundation, a local nonprofit that builds pathways around Atlanta, on the alignment for the Northwest Trail.
This segment of the trail is located near Piedmont Atlanta Hospital — the largest employer in the Beltline Planning Area — as well as other job centers including the Shepherd Center, nearby office buildings and retail shops.
The entire Beltline trail loop is on track to be completed by 2030.
Earlier this year, Dickens and the Beltline announced that by spring 2026, 16.3 mi. of continuous trail will be completed in time for Atlanta to host the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, in addition to 1.6 mi. of spur trails.
Building on progress in Segments 1 and 2, construction of Northwest Trail — Segment 3 and Segment 5 (NWT-3 & 5), are already under way:
$54M
• NWT-3 is a 1.2-mi. section of trail beginning at Trabert Avenue near Monday Night Brewing and ends after crossing under Interstate 75 at Tanyard Creek.
• NWT-5 is 0.8-mi. in length and began construction earlier this year. It will link Marietta Boulevard and Huff Road, connecting with the Westside Trail and several Westside neighborhoods.
Once completed, the entire Northwest Trail will extend 4.3 mi. from Blandtown to the Lindbergh/Morosgo neighborhoods, along the way linking other neighborhoods and landmarks including Ardmore Park,
Brookwood, Brookwood Hills, Collier Hills, Lindbergh, Lindbergh City Center, Lindridge Martin Manor, Peachtree Hills. and Underwood Hills.
The trail also traverses along Tanyard Creek, past the Atlanta Memorial Trail, and Bobby Jones Golf Course, and connects to the Northeast Trail at the Armour-Ottley commercial district and the Lindbergh Center MARTA transit station.
The majority of Beltline’s funding comes from public sources, specifically through the Beltline Tax Allocation District, supported by Atlanta Public Schools (APS), Fulton
County, and the city of Atlanta, and Beltline Special Service District investors. Additionally, lead philanthropic support to complete the full Beltline trail corridor comes from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation Inc. and The James M. Cox Foundation.
Other collaborators critical to trail efforts include ATLDOT, Atlanta’s departments of Watershed Management, and City Planning, the Georgia Department of Transportation, Invest Atlanta, PATH Foundation, Special Service District Investors and Trees Atlanta.
Connector Will Link Communities, Improve Access
Henry County Has High Expectations for New Road
When complete, the Western Parallel Connector will serve as a vital corridor for linking communities and offering improved access to businesses, schools and recreational facilities. With the region’s recent population surge, Henry County officials recognized the need for modernized infrastructure to support increasing travel demands and reduce bottlenecks along existing roadways.
The $54 million project was first conceived in 2017, setting in motion the time-consuming process of acquiring the necessary rights of way (ROW) from property owners, an acquisition that was finally completed in late 2023. That led to GDOT officials recently giving the county the green light to proceed with clearing prior to the Connector’s construction.
According to Bert Bivens, Henry County’s assistant direc-
tor of SPLOST, the county acquired the right of way for the project utilizing its General Fund, and GDOT agreed to reimburse the county up to $6 million towards the cost of the ROW acquisition.
“The launch of this project signifies an important step forward for Henry County’s transportation network,” said Kevin J. Lewis, the county’s District V commissioner. “By creating this new parallel route, we’re not only investing in local infrastructure but also in the daily lives of our community members, enabling safer and more efficient travel.”
Henry County officials have four primary expectations from the construction of the Western Parallel Connector:
• By providing an alternate route, the new roadway will help alleviate traffic congestion on heavily traveled routes, especially during peak hours.
• An improved roadway design and the addition of sidewalks will enhance and support safer travel options for
motorists and pedestrians.
• The new highway will boost economic development by making access easier to Henry County’s key commercial areas, not only by attracting new investment to the region, but by supporting existing businesses.
• The connector will protect residential areas by helping to reroute thru-traffic away from homes, as well as reduce noise and preserve community integrity.
The Western Parallel Connector is a significant infrastructure project that Henry County believes demonstrates its commitment to proactively address “the transportation challenges of today while laying the foundation for tomorrow’s growth.” The project’s construction is expected to be finished by December 2027, the county said. During the building period, county officials are working to ensure minimal disruption to residents and travelers and promise to provide updates on the work’s progression.
Atlanta Beltline photo
The Northeast Trail – Segment 1 is a 0.9 mile-segment that extends along Piedmont Park to Westminster Drive including the 10th & Monroe intersection project.
CONNECTOR from page 1
BELTLINE from page 1
