Beltline officials: construction of Eastside Trail extension through Reynoldstown could start in July

Work on segment could take up to 24 months

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  • Thomas Wheatley
  • Kevin Burke of Atlanta Beltline Inc. points out how Eastside Trail expansion would interact with DeKalb Avenue

Ever since Atlanta Beltline officials announced that the Eastside Trail’s expansion would be postponed until one of the city’s most dilapidated bridges was rebuilt, residents of Cabbagetown and Reynoldstown residents have patiently waited for construction crews to start work on the segment.

Their dreams of enjoying the simple pleasures of biking and jogging on a 15-foot-wide concrete path - and being better connected to the Old Fourth Ward, Inman Park, and other neighborhoods along the wildly popular trail - were put on hold.

That progress is moving along. Last night, Kevin Burke of Atlanta Beltline Inc., the nonprofit tasked with planning and developing the project, told residents and business owners that construction could begin in July or early fall - and, once started, take 18 to 24 months to complete. He presented the project design, which is halfway done, to more than 30 people.

After the jump, some highlights from the meeting and fuzzy smartphone photos of the proposed design. Note that some proposals might be subject to change; if you’ve got ideas for planners, send them a line.

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  • Slow down: Plans call for building a speed table, a project that would signal to motorists that they should slow down and exercise caution, at the hectic intersection of the trail and Irwin Street. The trail then snakes south and bends east after running under the new Edgewood Avenue bridge. It runs along what today is Gunby Street before stopping at DeKalb Avenue. (Original plans called for the trail reaching Airline Avenue.) A wide path will run along that busy street, which will receive streetscape fixes to accommodate the increased number of bicyclists and pedestrians. A staging area will be built on the northwest corner of Krog Street.

  • Danger zone: To continue along the trail to Cabbagetown and Reynoldstown, however, bicyclists and pedestrians will need to first cross Krog Street, then cross DeKalb Avenue before entering the Krog Street tunnel. Several options are under consideration for how men, women, and children can safely cross the thoroughfare. Those include HAWK signals and even a pedestrian scramble. To our knowledge, the latter would be a first in Atlanta. Josh Mello, the city’s former transportation guru, tells us on Twitter that there’s a pedestrian scramble located at Courtland and Gilmer streets.

  • What’s gonna happen to the tunnel?: Pedestrians and bicyclists would be directed to the east side of the Krog Street tunnel, which ABI would upgrade with new lighting and handrails. Contact the city about the shoddy road surface inside the tunnel.

  • Limited access: Why direct people to the east side of the tunnel? Because it’s better designed, Burke says. Making sure the tunnel ramps comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act will be a challenge. The western ramp leading into the tunnel is too steep, Burke says. People in wheelchairs would need someone to push them up the ramp or have an electric wheelchair if they wanted to access that part of the route. Designers hope to make the eastern ramp ADA-compliant, a spokeswoman says.

  • Wylie time: The trail will continue along the north side of Wylie Street, coming close to CSX’s property. The decision to place the trail there will preserve homeowners’ on-street parking and narrow the street slightly but still allow room for future transit, Burke says.

  • Bye bye, bridge: Work crews will “lift” the bridge that spans Fulton Terrace (or Mauldin Street, if you prefer), conduct a structural analysis, and then build new abutments - in essence, widening the street below it. The move will make room for new sidewalks. If the bridge checks out, it will be returned to its original place. Stairs and an ADA-accessible ramp will provide access from the path to the street and vice versa. But the mural, Burke says, will have to go.

  • Top o’ the hill: Off Holtzclaw Street, on a hill that’s arguably Reynoldstown’s highest point, the city’s Department of Watershed Management plans to build a water tank on a property it’s owned for years. The project includes tentative plans to allow access from the Beltline, creating a spot where people can view the city skyline and sunsets.

  • Land deal: Two large properties along DeKalb Avenue are said to soon go on the market. And ABI might be interested in purchasing the parcels. When asked by CL why the organization is looking into purchasing property when it still owes payments to Atlanta Public Schools, a spokeswoman declined to discuss legal or real estate matters.

  • To tunnel or not to tunnel: For years, planners and wonks have debated how Beltline transit, whenever it’s built, will maneuver around CSX’s Hulsey Yard, the massive multimodal complex separating Inman Park from Cabbagetown and Reynoldstown. (There’s no telling when - or if - CSX will ever leave the property.) Potential solutions include running transit along DeKalb Avenue, through the Krog Street tunnel, or even building an expensive new tunnel that could accommodate transit - and possibly even the trail. Expect more discussions about those alternatives in a few months.

  • What’s the cost?: Project officials should have a better idea as planners get closer to the end of the design stage, a Beltline spokeswoman says.


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  • Thomas Wheatley
  • The intersection of the Beltline and Kirkwood Avenue and Fulton Terrace/Mauldin Street



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  • Thomas Wheatley
  • The ‘end’ of the trail’s current phase where it dead-ends into Memorial Drive