Trails Connecting Communities

Plans are underway to improve the Flint River Gateway Trails Network, an initiative between the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC), Clayton County and the tri-city area of College Park, East Point and Hapeville.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded two grants totaling $64.9 million to the project, which is estimated to cost $159.3 million and will eventually connect the Gateway Trails Network to the Atlanta Beltline.

The project is part of ARC’s Reconnecting the Region Initiative, which is working to reconnect communities divided by railways, highways and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Plans include constructing 3.2 miles of multiuse trails in four sections while also investing in green construction to manage stormwater runoff and flooding.

In addition to connecting to the Beltline, the trail network will improve access to schools, hospitals, employment centers and MARTA stations.

ARC Executive Director and CEO Anna Roach calls the project a transformational opportunity for the South Metro Atlanta region.