By John Ruch
Irwin Street and Lake Avenue at the Atlanta BeltLine will be closed to motor vehicles from Nov. 7 to 13 to test a possible permanent closure for future Atlanta Streetcar service.
MARTA and Atlanta BeltLine Inc. (ABI) plan to extend the Streetcar from its Downtown/Sweet Auburn loop to the BeltLine’s Eastside Trail in the Old Fourth Ward. The connection would be via Auburn Avenue and Irwin, but it involves a tricky turn through traffic. MARTA has proposed permanently closing the street directly around the BeltLine – which switches names between Irwin and Lake at the trail – to motor vehicles to make it safer.
ABI says the closure is being timed with utility work on a new office complex under construction at 667 Auburn at the Irwin intersection.
The closure will affect Irwin and Lake between Auburn and Krog Street. The trail will remain open and the street will remain accessible to pedestrians. Motor vehicle traffic will be detoured onto Edgewood Avenue via Krog and Randolph streets.
An online survey for public feedback went live Nov. 7 on MARTA’s Streetcar extension website.
Another significant partial closure in the area is the Krog Street Tunnel at DeKalb Avenue, which is closed to motor vehicles during the night Sunday through Friday for stormwater work.
ABI provided the following contacts for more information and questions:
- Irwin/Lake closure: John Saxton, mobility planning assistant director at the City’s Department of Transportation: jmsaxton@atlantaga.gov
- Issues with closure barricades or signage or emergency issues with the utility work: Rocky Sveda, 667 Auburn project superintendent, Choate Construction: 678-725-5002.
- Streetcar extension information: streetcareast.com or MARTA Project Manager Bryan Hobbs, streetcareast@itsmarta.com
Update: This story has been updated with the launch of an online survey for public feedback.
