Beltline approves $242 million budget for 2026

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By WSBTV.com News Staff

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Beltline, Inc. announced they were moving forward with their new budget, ringing in at $242 million.

According to the organization, the 2026 fiscal year will be “a pivotal year for the transformative 22-mile loop as the Beltline prepares for FIFA World Cup” in Atlanta.

The new budget is expected to help the organization push forward to finishing the trail and reaching their current housing goals by 2030.

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Officials said the funding for the new budget comes from multiple sources, which include the Beltline Tax Allocation District, the Special Service District, local, state and federal grants, and philanthropic support.

However, “the Beltline TAD remains the primary funding mechanism, accounting for approximately $183.5 million—roughly 75% of the total budget."

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Beltline officials said they were nearly 75% to goal for creating or preserving 5,600 housing units by 2030. Additionally, almost 18 miles of continuous mainline trail are expected to be completed early net year.

The organization is also moving forward with its Beep project to bring an autonomous transportation option to the trail in early 2026.

For the new annual budget, the Beltline said its focusing on the following investments:

  • Mainline Trail Delivery, Design & Construction – $98.8 million
    • The Beltline continues its momentum to deliver nearly 18 miles of continuous paved trail ahead of World Cup 26TM. Design and construction remain the top funding category, underscoring the Beltline’s push to meet the 2030 deadline to finish all 22 miles of mainline trail plus 11 miles of connector trails.
  • Affordable Housing & Commercial Space – $40.6 million
    • Affordable housing and commercial space remain a Beltline priority. Funding includes approximately $17 million for buying property, predevelopment costs, due diligence, and down payment assistance programs with Invest Atlanta. The Beltline has made great progress on housing attainability, reaching 74% of its goal of creating or preserving 5,600 affordable housing units by 2030.
  • Real Estate – $56.3 million
    • Real estate investments focus on acquiring key trail-adjacent properties, including major parcels along the Northwest Trail – essential to achieving trail connectivity as well as supporting housing and commercial affordability.
  • Economic Development – $11.3 million
    • Funding will expand support for small businesses and the Beltline Marketplace program, along with the digital inclusion initiative to provide free public Wi-Fi and technology access in anticipation of the FIFA World CupTM. Originally proposed under a $9 million federal grant, this effort will now be funded through TAD allocations.
  • Transit – $8.8 million
    • A new departmental category in FY26 is transit, reflecting the growing momentum and strategic focus on mobility solutions along the Beltline corridor. While this remains an evolving area of planning and discussion, the Beltline has allocated $8 million to support early-stage investments. Highlights include consultant services to advance a new transit service plan, preliminary engineering and a 12-month pilot project for an autonomous shuttle (Beep) connecting Atlanta University Center, MARTA West End Station and the Southwest Trail at Lee + White. The pilot is supported by a $1.75 million grant from the Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority. The Beltline will also be evaluating potential alignments connecting the Southside Beltline to Downtown Atlanta. The goal is to advance design work to the 15–20% stage, consistent with current direction to prioritize transit implementation along the Southside portion of the Beltline.

“The Atlanta Beltline is entering an exciting moment where we are five years away from completing the 22-mile rail-to-trail loop. This year’s budget is both a reflection of our momentum and a roadmap to deliver lasting impact for communities along the Beltline corridor,” Clyde Higgs, President and CEO of Atlanta Beltline, Inc., said in a statement. “We would not have reached this point if not for the longstanding support of our partners - Atlanta Public Schools, the City of Atlanta and Fulton County - to fund our priorities and initiatives locally.”

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