ATLANTA — Atlanta BeltLine has released final recommendations for a long-range light-rail network that would connect more neighborhoods around the city and link portions of the corridor with downtown.
The BeltLine Transit Study calls for three bidirectional routes: a full BeltLine loop, a northern loop and a southern loop. The plan includes 13 proposed stations across the southwest and southeast portions of the corridor, along with a preferred northwest alignment that would use the CSX route to connect Grove Park with the Armour Yards area.
What the study projects
Under the operating assumptions presented by BeltLine officials, trains would run for about 18.5 hours per day. Each route would operate every 20 minutes, producing 10-minute service at stations shared by two routes. The model projects approximately 4.2 million annual riders.
The current capital-cost estimate is $3.5 billion in 2025 dollars. Officials emphasized that the estimate is based on an early design level of roughly 10% to 20%, meaning the price and engineering details could change substantially as the project advances.
What happens next
The recommendations are a planning framework, not a construction announcement. The project would still need funding, additional engineering, environmental work and continued coordination with the City of Atlanta and MARTA before any rail line could move forward.
Atlanta BeltLine is accepting public feedback on the final recommendations through November 3. The agency also said it will continue studying a possible Murphy Crossing MARTA infill station and other connections that could strengthen the broader network.
