ATLANTA – There’s some good news for drivers in northeast Atlanta.
Cheshire Bridge Road near Faulkner Road is back open for traffic months after it was damaged by a fire at a homeless camp.
The project has had its share of delays as crews worked around the clock. Originally, the roadway was set to partially reopen in April before the reopening date was pushed back to May.
Now, after more than five months of repairs, the Atlanta Department of Transportation says the road is safely traversable.
“We appreciate the patience of the community as ATLDOT contractors and engineers thoroughly assessed and repaired the damaged structure,” ATLDOT Commissioner Solomon Caviness said. “This Cheshire Bridge railroad overpass will provide safe access to and through the Piedmont Heights community for business and residential travelers.”
Officials say crews demolished and removed parts of the previously-damaged bridge, constructed a new retaining wall, and installed a new asphalt roadway at the end of the bridge.
Cheshire Bridge Road fire
Drivers have been asked to avoid the busy Atlanta roadway since the morning of Dec. 20, when firefighters arrived at a raging blaze under the bridge between Faulkner Road and Piedmont Road.
While firefighters were able to put out the flames after a short time, officials told FOX 5 that the bridge appeared to be compromised and not safe to drive over.
This bridge spans over the section of railroad tracks just south of the newly replaced bridge, which was destroyed in a massive fire in August 2021.
With traffic diverted into residential neighborhoods, many business owners in the area shared concerns that the long repair times could devastate their businesses in the way the previous fire had done.
