Putting the Brakes on Runaway Gentrification in Atlanta

The area under the Freedom Parkway overpass in Atlanta used to be an open dirt and concrete area just off a dilapidated train track, weeds snaking through cracked wooden sleepers. Like many other parts of this famously sprawling city, it was for many years a little-used negative space that mostly existed outside the reach of authorities or the public view. Now, the underpass hosts a well-paved bike path, a daily stream of riders and strollers, and an outdoor piano with a sign saying it’s for anyone to play—all thanks to the ambitious Atlanta BeltLine.

The $4.8 billion transportation megaproject, due to be completed in 2030, consists of a 22-mile mixed-use pedestrian-transit trail around the perimeter of and throughout the city. The hope is that the line will both help allay the metro’s crushing traffic problems and spur neighborhood revitalization while also making Atlanta greener and more walkable.