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The Neighborhood Eastside Story
Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail Extension
By Collin Kelley
The Eastside Trail extension of the Atlanta BeltLine is moving forward, with concrete being poured along Wylie Street, new lighting going up inside the Krog Street Tunnel and a portion of Irwin Street in the Old Fourth Ward closed to connect the existing trail with the new segment.
Residents got an update on the extension at a March 2 meeting held at Our Lady of Lourdes in the Old Fourth Ward. Project Manager Meghan Injaychock presented photographs and a timeline of the work to complete the extension, which runs from Irwin Street to Kirkwood Avenue in Reynoldstown. Most of the extension is expected to be complete by early summer.
The most visible work is in Cabbagetown and Reynoldstown as construction crews make progress on pouring the concrete along Wylie Street from the entrance to the Krog Street Tunnel to Kirkwood Avenue. Injaychock said the work should be completed by mid-April, weather permitting. After the trail itself is complete, new trees and plants will be installed by Trees Atlanta to continue the BeltLine Arboretum.
Those who travel through the Krog Street Tunnel on foot or by bike will have noticed the new lighting and pavers along the elevated path on the east side of the underpass.
At the busy intersection of Krog and DeKalb Avenue, work has been ongoing to move utilities and repair storm drains. A new pedestrian plaza will be built at the northwest corner of DeKalb Avenue and diagonal crossings – also known as a “pedestrian scramble” – will allow for easy access to any corner of the intersection.
As the extension moves west along DeKalb Avenue, the sidewalk will be removed and replaced with new trail before turning right into the old rail corridor and connecting up with the existing portion at Irwin Street. However, there will be a delay in completing this portion of the trail as the BeltLine works with North American Properties on the timeline for a mixed-use development, which will sit at the BeltLine’s intersection with DeKalb Avenue.
