Brookhaven will receive federal funding to unite the city’s Peachtree Creek Greenway with the Atlanta BeltLine.
On Dec. 14, the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) approved $4.5 million that will help connect the two trailways, according to a press release. The funding is for critical land acquisition for the construction of Phase II of the greenway, which will bring the trail closer to Atlanta’s city limits.
According to the release, the ARC also included a $400,000 allocation to the city of Atlanta to supplement an existing project to extend the BeltLine to the greenway.
“People want and need alternatives throughout the region,” said Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst in the release. “Brookhaven residents are well aware of the improvements in quality of life from the Atlanta BeltLine and want that here.”
The first mile, or “model mile” of the Peachtree Creek Greenway opened up to the public in 2019. The city announced it would apply for a separate infrastructure grant called the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Program in April of this year. According to a city spokesperson, the city did not receive that grant.
The city has previously said that it expects the buildout for Phase II to be finished by February of 2027. However, spokesperson Burke Brennan said the city is targeting mid-to-late 2024 for groundbreaking, with a possible completion in 2026.
“This is a significant step toward regional connectivity needed in our metro area,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens in the release. “Working across city borders, we will be able to connect to and build upon the success of the Atlanta BeltLine in creating pedestrian and alternative transportation options along a green corridor, leading to a more equitable future for all of our residents.”
This funding is in addition to the $11 million granted by the ARC to the BeltLine to help complete the Southside and Northside Trails.