The Atlanta Beltline is adding to its waist — and that’s a good thing.

On Thursday, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced that the city has acquired the railroad corridor needed to complete the Atlanta BeltLine’s Southside Trail. The move means that  the Eastside and Westside Trails will be linked, creating 14 contiguous miles of the Atlanta BeltLine corridor.

Bottoms said the purchase of the 4.5-mile span today from CSX was the largest remaining piece to fulfill the 22-mile project.

Atlanta Beltline Acquisition Secures 4-Mile Stretch From CSX Railroad

“I am pleased to announce that the City of Atlanta and the Atlanta BeltLine have concluded the largest remaining single purchase of land toward closing the Atlanta BeltLine loop,” Bottoms said in a written statement. “With this historic purchase, the City of Atlanta is taking another step forward in improving connectivity, growth and investment in South Atlanta by providing access to trails, transit options and world-class greenspace for all residents.”

City leaders lauded the announcement, including Beltline CEO / President Brian McGowan, who was on hand.

“The Southside Trail will connect the east side of the Atlanta BeltLine to the west side for the first time in its history – and that changes everything.” McGowan said in printed remarks. “This inactive rail corridor that once divided neighborhoods can now be used to create jobs, transit and affordable housing options for communities south of downtown.”

The BeltLine, which began as a master’s thesis for Georgia Tech student Ryan Gravel, has turned into the largest public-private development in the city in the past quarter century. When it is finished, it will connect the core of the city’s neighborhoods and  improve transportation, add green space, and promote redevelopment..

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