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Atlanta council adopts Trails ATL master plan to expand citywide trails network
Summary
The City Council adopted the Trails ATL master plan and incorporated it into the city comprehensive plan; councilmembers said the move advances walkable connections and requested community-benefit strategies to prevent displacement.
The Atlanta City Council adopted the Trails ATL master plan and added it to the city’s comprehensive development plan by a unanimous vote, approving a citywide blueprint intended to expand trail access and pedestrian connections across Atlanta.
Council member Jason Winston, sponsor of the measure, said the plan will connect neighborhoods and increase equitable access to safe trails. “This plan will put 94% of residents within a 10 minute walk of a trail by 2052,” a public commenter said; the council noted the Trails ATL study’s long-term timetable and funding expectations.
Council members and public speakers emphasized that trails can spur displacement if anticrisis measures are not included. Nataki Osborne-Joseph of the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance told the council that anti-displacement measures should be in place before major trail construction to protect legacy residents from rising costs.
The council amended the item on the floor to add a councilmember’s name and then approved the motion to adopt the plan unanimously. Several council members also requested or supported targeted naming of segments for district-specific recognition.
The adoption formally recognizes Trails ATL as a planning document and allows the city to proceed with implementation steps, including project-level design, community engagement and coordination across departments. Council members signaled the need to pair trail construction with community benefits and anti-displacement strategies as the city moves to fund and build individual segments.
