Safety upgrades to a vital Atlanta BeltLine link between Reynoldstown and Ormewood Park are entering the home stretch with the addition of street planters that just might qualify as stylish.
The BeltLine’s first row of in-street concrete planters and other barricades now spans roughly four blocks from Interstate 20 down to the interim Southside Trail’s starting point at Glenwood Avenue.
Trees Atlanta installed landscaping in the planters in late April, including grasses and trees. Additions also include railings for a MARTA bus stop near Faith Avenue, upgraded pedestrian traffic signals, and cast-in-place barriers that complement the taller concrete buffers.
Heading north alongside the townhome stoops of Glenwood Park. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta
According to BeltLine officials, the final interim safety improvements to Bill Kennedy Way—most notably, a second phase of work over I-20 that will restripe the road for new traffic patterns—should finish this month. Talks between the BeltLine and city officials for final revisions to the trail and traffic signage are ongoing.
Last summer, the BeltLine replaced parking spaces and planters south of I-20 with in-street trail lanes connecting to all points in Glenwood Park. Earlier this year, the Georgia Department of Transportation granted permission to Reeves Construction Company, the BeltLine’s contractor, to finish the job.
The safety fixes carry an “interim” status because—eventually—plans call for a separate BeltLine pedestrian bridge spanning the interstate.
Head to the gallery above for a quick tour of recent upgrades.
• Recent BeltLine news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)
