Greening and Urbanization of Atlanta: A Health Impact Assessment of the Atlanta BeltLine

In 2005, the City of Atlanta voted to adopt a new vision for the city. It took the form of massive public and private investments (totalling over $3 billion) in parks, trails, transit, and redevelopment. Dubbed the BeltLine, the project is intended to reuse a largely abandoned freight rail corridor that forms a 21-mile loop around the core of the city. In total, more than 6,000 acres will be redeveloped. With such a major investment it is reasonable to ask: How might this project impact the health of the more than 200,000 people who live near the BeltLine?

This question is being answered, in part, by a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) being conducted by Georgia Tech with assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This paper outlines the approaches and tools used to explore how transportation and green infrastructure investments affect public health. The paper also shares results from the BeltLine HIA, outlines lessons learned, and proposes techniques for the utilization of HIAs in other places in the United States.

Unlike many HIAs, which have been led solely by public health practitioners, this project is a joint effort of health and city planning experts. The outcome of this partnership has been the development of improved communications and shared analysis techniques across disciplines, which has resulted in a more holistic interpretation and response to the challenges of creating urban environments that are supportive of good health.