Atlanta Beltline Celebrates New Addition to Westside Trail, Creating the Longest Continuous Trail in Corridor
ATLANTA, June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Atlanta Beltline, Inc. President and CEO Clyde Higgs, elected officials from Fulton County and Atlanta Public Schools, and other community leaders held a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating a major milestone for the Beltline by creating the longest uninterrupted length of trail to date. With the completion of Westside Trail–Segment 4, walkers, runners and cyclists can now travel 6.7 continuous miles along the Atlanta Beltline, from University Avenue in southwest Atlanta to Huff Road in northwest Atlanta with the completion of Westside Trail–Segment 4.
When construction is finished in 2030, the rail-to-trail infrastructure project will create a 22-mile loop around the City of Atlanta plus 11 miles of connector trails. This finished trail segment brings the total mainline loop to 12.6 miles of delivered trail, complemented by 10.3 miles of connector trails.
"I grew up here in Atlanta, served on this board as a council member, and now as your mayor. Atlanta is my home. These trails, these homes, these businesses… this is how we build a stronger and more connected city," said Atlanta Mayor Dickens. "Thank you to the Beltline team, our partners, and everyone who's helped make this possible."
The newly constructed trail segment stretches 1.3 miles from the existing Westside Trail terminus at Lena Street north to Law Street, where it connects to the Westside Beltline Connector and Westside Trail–Segment 3. It transforms a fragmented pathway into a seamless corridor that runs along Washington Park, weaving through neighborhoods where streets honor Civil Rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Joseph E. Boone and Joseph Lowery.
"We are celebrating more than an infrastructure project. Today is a celebration of connecting communities and honoring the rich history that defines our city," said Higgs. "As trail users travel these 6.7 continuous miles, they're moving through neighborhoods born from resilience, built by Black architects and builders, and shaped by generations of community pride. This extension ensures that legacy is honored as we build toward our vision of a complete 22-mile loop in 2030."
Finishing Segment 4 is the culmination of a two-phase construction approach. Section A, spanning 0.5 miles, opened in fall 2024, while Section B, celebrated today, covers the remaining 0.8 miles.
Washington Park holds particular significance as Atlanta's first designated recreational space for African Americans. Created during the segregation era, the park originally featured a swimming pool, dance hall, pavilions and tennis courts, providing a long-awaited sanctuary for leisure and community gatherings.
The neighborhood surrounding the park emerged from the ashes of the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917, developing into one of Atlanta's first planned Black suburbs under the leadership of Heman E. Perry. Washington Park flourished as a thriving enclave for the city's African American middle class, with homes and institutions crafted by Black architects and builders during an era of systemic barriers.
In a tribute to the historical significance of Washington Park, Higgs, joined by Councilmember Byron Amos and The Conservancy at Historic Washington Park Board Chair Christi Jackson unveiled the park's new historical sign. Positioned at the gateway to the Westside Trail and the adjacent park, the marker commemorates Washington Park's enduring legacy.
As Washington Park enters its second century, this section of the Westside Trail ensures this pillar of resilience and community pride remains integral to the Beltline's 22-mile vision.
"The Westside Trail serves not only as a symbol of the community's storied past but also its ongoing commitment to growth, development, and prosperity as a longstanding, vital and vibrant community. In the design of the Westside Trail – Segment 4, we celebrate the City for its inclusive vision of innovation and entrepreneurship and the Beltline for its commitment to community engagement," said Christi Jackson, Board President of The Conservancy at Historic Washington Park. "This segment showcases the trail as a simple and cohesive way to bring the various areas of our city closer together, encouraging all of us to enjoy the great outdoors, arts and entertainment, and an interesting range of opportunities for discovery and engagement across and around our whole city."
The 14-foot-wide concrete multi-use path features three-foot soft shoulders on each side, complemented by thoughtful design elements including stainless steel handrails, LED lighting, and security cameras. Green infrastructure manages stormwater while environmental remediation addresses the corridor's industrial past. Ramps and stairs link the trail to adjoining streets, ensuring accessibility for surrounding communities.
Funding for the Beltline comes primarily from public sources through the Beltline Tax Allocation District, supported by Atlanta Public Schools, Fulton County and the City of Atlanta, along with Beltline Special Service District investors. Lead philanthropic support from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, Inc. and The James M. Cox Foundation is supporting construction of the full trail corridor.
The project required coordination among numerous partners, including Atlanta Regional Commission, Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation, Atlanta Department of Transportation, and Atlanta Watershed Management, Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia Power, MARTA, Invest Atlanta, Trees Atlanta, U.S. Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Alta led trail design with support from subcontractors Sherwood Design Engineers, Sastry and Associates, Planners for Environmental Quality, TerraMark, United Consulting, Roosevelt Powell and Associates, Palacio Collaborative, Grice Consulting Group, Arborguard Tree Specialists, and Long Engineering. Astra Group served as the construction firm.
Ribbon cutting photos here.
About Atlanta Beltline, Inc.Atlanta Beltline, Inc. is the official implementation agency for the Atlanta Beltline. Its vision is to be the catalyst for making Atlanta a global beacon for equitable, inclusive and sustainable city life. As one of the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment programs in the United States, the Atlanta Beltline is building a more socially and economically resilient Atlanta with our partner organizations and host communities through job creation, inclusive transportation systems, affordable housing and public spaces for all. For more information on the Atlanta Beltline, please visit www.beltline.org.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/atlanta-beltline-celebrates-new-addition-to-westside-trail-creating-the-longest-continuous-trail-in-corridor-302491345.html
SOURCE Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Target has another big problem amid alarming customer behavior
Target (TGT) , which has almost 2,000 stores nationwide, is struggling to shake a concerning shift in customer behavior that has significantly impacted its sales for several financial quarters. In Target's first-quarter earnings report for 2025, it revealed that its comparable store sales dipped by 3.8% year-over-year. Also, according to recent data from the number of customers visiting Target stores per location shrank by 4.8% year-over-year during the quarter. Related: Target announces generous offers to win back customers The pullback from consumers comes at a time when many are battling inflation and are concerned that tariffs will further increase prices for everyday goods. Also, Target recently faced backlash for scaling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which sparked several consumer boycotts. During an earnings call in May, Target CEO Brian Cornell said the company is operating in an "exceptionally challenging environment," with several factors negatively impacting business. "For several years now, we've seen pressure in our discretionary businesses, as spending adjusted down from elevated levels during the pandemic and then moved further away in the face of historically high inflation in needs-based categories," said Cornell. "On top of those ongoing challenges, we faced several additional headwinds this quarter, including five consecutive months of declining consumer confidence, uncertainty regarding the impact of potential tariffs, and the reaction to the updates we shared on Belonging in January." Image source: Universal Images Group via Getty Images Just last month, Target faced a major boycott from consumers, organized by The People's Union USA, for its DEI cuts. Now, another big group is threatening to make a similar move. On June 26, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) met with Target CEO Brian Cornell to discuss the retailer's decision to roll back its DEI policies in January. The cuts resulted in Target discontinuing its three-year DEI goals and Racial Equity Action and Change initiatives, which launched in 2020 and included advancing the careers of Black employees, instituting anti-racism training for staff members, promoting Black-owned businesses, and sourcing products from Black suppliers. Through these initiatives, Target also pledged to donate $1 million to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation over five years. Since 2020, the retailer has donated at least $1.4 million to the foundation. The CBC said in a recent press release that the conversation with Cornell was "candid and direct." However, it warned him that "efforts to restore consumer and public trust without genuine action and accountability" would risk causing "lasting damage" to Target's "brand and credibility." Related: Home Depot, Amazon, Starbucks suffer major boycott from customers During the meeting, the group demanded that Target recommit to DEI in a public forum and reinstate DEI policies that were "eliminated or rolled back." The CBC also demanded an update on the status of financial investments and other publicly pledged policies, as well as details of Target's workforce diversity, business supplier diversity, and community investment. However, the CBC is supporting a boycott of Target after the conversation with the company's leadership yielded disappointing results. "Like many of the coalition leaders and partner organizations that have chosen to boycott their stores across the country, we found that the explanations offered by the leadership of the Target Corporation fell woefully short of what our communities deserve and of the values of inclusion that Target once touted," said the CBC in the press release. The CBC also highlighted that Black consumers have a significant impact on Target's "bottom line." "Black consumers contribute overwhelmingly to our economy and to the Target Corporation's bottom line," said the CBC. "Our communities deserve to shop at businesses that publicly share our values without sacrificing our dignity. It is no longer acceptable to deliver promises to our communities in private without also demonstrating those values publicly." The CBC's boycott threat comes after Cornell has been ramping up his efforts to address the backlash over Target's DEI cuts. In April, Cornell met with the Rev. Al Sharpton to advert another potential Target boycott over DEI cuts. More Retail: Costco quietly plans to offer a convenient service for customersT-Mobile pulls the plug on generous offer, angering customersAT&T makes generous offer to older customers The following month, Cornell also reportedly sent an email to Target employees acknowledging that it had been "a tough few months," admitting that the company's lack of communication amid recent controversy had led to "uncertainty." He also emphasized that Target's values of "inclusivity, connection, drive" are "not up for debate" and said that the company is "committed" to sharing how its values create an impact. "The world around us is noisier and more complicated, but that doesn't change who we are," said Cornell. Related: Target faces another massive boycott from customers The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Business Wire
3 hours ago
- Business Wire
Golub Capital BDC, Inc. Schedules Release of Fiscal Year 2025 Third Quarter Results
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Golub Capital BDC, Inc., a business development company (NASDAQ: GBDC, announced today that it will report its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025 on Monday, August 4, 2025 after the close of the financial markets. Golub Capital BDC, Inc. will host an earnings conference call at 10:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, August 5, 2025 to discuss its quarterly financial results. All interested parties may participate in the conference call by dialing (888) 330-3529 approximately 10-15 minutes prior to the call; international callers should dial (646) 960-0656. Participants should reference Golub Capital BDC, Inc. when prompted, or reference conference ID number 5111111. An archived replay of the call will be available shortly after the call until 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on August 12, 2025. To hear the replay, please dial (800) 770-2030. International dialers, please dial (647) 362-9199. For all replays, please reference program ID number 5111111. ABOUT GOLUB CAPITAL BDC, INC. Golub Capital BDC, Inc. ('GBDC') is an externally-managed, non-diversified closed-end management investment company that has elected to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. GBDC invests primarily in one stop and other senior secured loans to middle market companies that are often sponsored by private equity investors. GBDC's investment activities are managed by its investment adviser, GC Advisors LLC, an affiliate of the Golub Capital LLC group of companies ('Golub Capital'). ABOUT GOLUB CAPITAL Golub Capital is a market-leading, award-winning direct lender and experienced private credit manager. The firm specializes in delivering reliable, creative and compelling financing solutions to companies backed by private equity sponsors. Golub Capital's sponsor finance expertise also forms the foundation of its Broadly Syndicated Loan and Credit Opportunities investment programs. Golub Capital nurtures long-term, win-win partnerships that inspire repeat business from private equity sponsors and investors. As of April 1, 2025, Golub Capital had over 1,000 employees and over $75 billion of capital under management, a gross measure of invested capital including leverage. The firm has offices in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. For more information, please visit FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release may contain 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Golub Capital BDC, Inc. undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.
Business Wire
3 hours ago
- Business Wire
2025 Q2 Business and Product Updates: YuJa Delivers Strong Performance with Product Innovations and Strategic Partnership Expansion
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--YuJa, Inc., a leader in cloud-based compliance and accessibility solutions for regulated sectors, reported strong performance in the second quarter of 2025, highlighted by new strategic partnerships, expanded institutional reach, and continued investment in its platform portfolio. While YuJa remains a trusted provider to higher education institutions, the company is scaling to support digital compliance needs across government and other regulated industries. "We're committed to delivering solutions that streamline accessibility and compliance workflows while expanding our partnerships to serve more institutions and organizations," said Nathan Arora, Chief Executive Officer at YuJa, Inc. "Our most recent additions and updates reflect our dedication to making compliance and accessibility management more efficient and collaborative." Strategic Partnership Expansion As part of its targeted growth, YuJa announced a strategic agreement with Carahsoft Technology Corp., which will serve as the company's Master Government Aggregator. Through Carahsoft, YuJa's solutions are now available via key cooperative purchasing contracts, including TIPS, OMNIA Partners, E&I Cooperative Services, and The Quilt. YuJa also renewed and expanded its longstanding partnership with ESC19 Purchasing (Allied States Cooperative), reinforcing its accessibility leadership and commitment to procurement efficiency for public entities. Compliance Product Innovation Supporting cross-sector compliance initiatives, YuJa introduced a powerful Workflow Orchestration Module, now available in both the YuJa Panorama LMS Accessibility Platform and YuJa EqualGround Accessibility Governance Platform. This project management tool enables organizations to assign team roles, track progress, and manage large-scale remediation initiatives from a single dashboard. The company also launched an Accessibility Products Marketplace, providing customers with one-click access to content creation, remediation, and engagement tools integrated directly into existing digital learning and communication platforms. To help leaders evaluate accessibility platforms, YuJa introduced a side-by-side Compare Page and an interactive alternative formats demo, both available at Platform Enhancements Quarterly product updates focused on intelligent automation, accessibility, and data transparency. YuJa Panorama saw the addition of alternative format editing, enhanced OCR, and improved reporting tools, while YuJa EqualGround gained unified progress tracking, SSO integration, and streamlined issue remediation. In video and assessment, YuJa released course-level analytics, AI-powered quiz creation, real-time chat in YuJa FeedbackFlow Assessment Platform, and a fully standalone YuJa Verity portal with expanded lockdown options and accommodations management. Each of these advancements was designed to meet the complex demands of institutions and enterprises. YuJa also continued enhancing its integration capabilities, especially with D2L Brightspace, expanding functionality in both the YuJa Verity Test Proctoring Platform and YuJa Panorama. New Customer Partnerships New and expanded customer partnerships include Texas A&M University, Southern Arkansas University, Point Loma Nazarene University, and Minnesota State University, Mankato, and others. YuJa's team also networked and showcased its innovations at global and national events, including EDUCAUSE Demo Day, NW/MET 2025, and the Best Practices in Teaching and Learning Conference in the United Arab Emirates. Looking ahead, YuJa will continue its work building comprehensive, user-friendly solutions for accessibility, compliance, and digital transformation across regulated sectors. About YuJa, Inc. YuJa is a leader in cloud-based compliance and accessibility solutions for regulated sectors, including higher-ed, K12, healthcare, and government. We enable enterprises to create engaging digital media experiences. We have legal headquarters in Delaware with primary U.S. offices in Silicon Valley, California, and Canadian offices in Toronto.
