As the replacement of the Edgewood Avenue bridge over the Eastside Trail is now underway, more people are asking about the extension of the Atlanta BeltLine through Reynoldstown to Glenwood Park. The next two years will see a dramatic transformation to this segment with trail construction and bike / pedestrian improvements. Simultaneously, corridor design is now underway for the southeast corridor (from Glenwood Avenue all the way to Allene Avenue in southwest Atlanta) and the southwest corridor (from Allene Avenue to Washington Park).

Eastside Trail Extension through Reynoldstown

The section of the project between Edgewood Avenue and Memorial Drive presents a few design obstacles that are under discussion now. One of the challenges is navigating around Hulsey Yard – the CSX railroad yard that runs parallel to DeKalb Avenue. This rail yard divides eastside neighborhoods and presents a major connectivity challenge to the Atlanta BeltLine, which means the multi-use path dead-ends into DeKalb Avenue. How should pedestrians and cyclists get from one side of Hulsey Yard to the other?

Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., the PATH Foundation and the City of Atlanta are currently working on the design together for this intersection. The City is planning pedestrian and bike improvements to Krog and DeKalb. The multi-use path will then transition to existing (but improved) sidewalks and go under Hulsey Yard via the Krog tunnel. Pedestrians will utilize the sidewalk and cyclists will be in-street. Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. and the City of Atlanta are working to improve the pavement in the tunnel, add sharrows (painted symbols indicating that bikes can take up a lane of traffic), and add lighting.

A similar challenge exists at the southern end of Reynoldstown where the trail leaves the old railroad corridor at Memorial Drive. Design for the stretch of trail through Reynoldstown is currently underway and an important consideration is how a high volume of trail users will cross this busy street. In addition, a ramp will be built from the Atlanta BeltLine corridor down to Mauldin Street.

Here is a quick reference breakdown of each section and how they will form one continuous trail, starting at the current southern terminus of the Eastside Trail at Lake Avenue / Irwin Street:

Irwin Street to DeKalb Avenue: Once the Edgewood Avenue bridge over this section of trail is complete in early 2014 ( Once the Edgewood Avenue bridge over this section of trail is complete in early 2014 ( follow the construction progress here ), construction will commence to extend the current Eastside Trail down to DeKalb Avenue. The replacement of the Edgewood Bridge will also provide a ramp and stair connection from the bridge to the Atlanta BeltLine corridor below.

DeKalb Avenue to Krog tunnel: The trail will leave the railroad corridor and transition to sidewalks along DeKalb Avenue. Design is underway for how pedestrians and cyclists will cross DeKalb Avenue.

The trail will leave the railroad corridor and transition to sidewalks along DeKalb Avenue. Design is underway for how pedestrians and cyclists will cross DeKalb Avenue. Through the Krog Street tunnel: The path will continue under Hulsey Yard via the Krog tunnel. Pedestrians will utilize the sidewalk and and cyclists will be in-street.

The path will continue under Hulsey Yard via the Krog tunnel. Pedestrians will utilize the sidewalk and and cyclists will be in-street. Krog Street along Wylie Street to the railroad corridor: Making a left (east) out of the Krog tunnel, the path will continue along Wylie Street with bicycle improvements and streetscapes.

Making a left (east) out of the Krog tunnel, the path will continue along Wylie Street with bicycle improvements and streetscapes. From Wylie Street to Memorial Drive: Just before Flat Shoals Avenue, the path re-enters the old railroad corridor and continues south to Memorial Drive with one at-grade crossing at Kirkwood Avenue and a ramp connection to Mauldin Street /Fulton Terrace.

From Memorial Drive to Glenwood Avenue: Funding has not yet been secured for this segment. The plan is for the path to run alongside Bill Kennedy Way on the west side of the road (alongside A&P Lofts), cross over I-20, and pass behind Ecos apartments (via Faith Avenue and Chester Avenue) before terminating at Glenwood Avenue. In the interim, residents of Glenwood Park, Grant Park and Ormewood Park can use the existing sidewalks along the east side of Bill Kennedy Way to access the Eastside Trail at Memorial Drive.

We will continue to post updates on design and construction of this segment as information becomes available.