Finally — a less murderous route from the Beltline to one of Atlanta's most ignominiously named grocery stores. Officials have confirmed that construction should begin sometime this spring on a roughly 200 foot, V-shaped ramp between the Beltline's Eastside Trail and so-called Murder Kroger. The project would create a more pedestrian friendly entry/exit point for the trail, and at a key stretch near Ponce de Leon Avenue no less. Though there are no renderings (or a price tag) available just yet, Beltline spokesman Ethan Davidson said the design has been finalized and Kroger is "completing the permitting process with the city." The grocer will be footing the bill once construction is green-lighted, Davidson said.

Walkers can make the Beltline-Kroger transition now, but at their own peril. The current "path" consists of a ragged two-foot gap in a chain-link fence leading to a steep, sketchy dirt slope. Davidson said the new connection would be constructed about 50 feet north of that point and include "landscaping and much better visibility from the trail to the parking lot and vice versa." Pointing this out feels a bit like picking nits, but as presently configured, Murder Kroger is smack dab in the middle of one of the Eastside Trail's longest stretches without an entry point. No word yet on a potential completion date.

The significance here, obviously, is not just, "Oh I can get a sandwich at Kroger and hop back on the Beltline." The pending connection will provide a clutch jumping off point for those looking to put a little food, booze or Clermont Lounge into their lives.

Word on the street is that Kroger officials hope the project will help sanitize the store's seedy reputation, which is fueled by a long history of bizarre incidents. (Not to mention a "Murder Kroger" float in the Little Five Points Halloween Parade). But won't it take more than enhanced access points before anyone starts calling the place Beltline Kroger?

— By Curbed Atlanta contributor Tyler Estep

· Murder Kroger: Welcome (14 Seconds of Survival) [Vimeo]

· Murder Kroger's very own FB page [Facebook]

[ABOVE: Base image via Vimeo]