Despite Brookhaven city officials’ call for civil discourse, attendees at a community meeting on Aug. 26 about the proposed Southern Connector Bridge over I-85 turned into a free-for-all, with attendees flinging accusations and shouting over each other.
The Southern Connector Bridge is a future roadway connection that will include a multi-use path across I-85 between Buford Highway and Chantilly Drive. It would also include a single-lane roundabout.
The project is 80% federally funded, with a 20% local contribution, and the total cost is estimated at $23 million. That price, officials said, will probably increase as the project will not commence until 2030.
City Council Member John Funny began the meeting by cautioning the attendees to be respectful in their remarks.
“Our job is to listen carefully, examine the facts, and make decisions that are the best for the community,” he said. “Let’s respect the presenters and not take this as an opportunity for a shouting match.”
But only minutes into a formal presentation, attendees, including Lavista Park residents, began shouting questions and accusations, saying that the project will cause cut-through traffic on their already-congested roads.
“You obviously don’t live in our neighborhood, and we don’t want this project,” said one attendee. “People will find a way to cut through and we will not be able to get out.”
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The back-and-forth interrupted the presentation for more than an hour, as attendees flung accusations and, in one case, suggested that an organized effort called “Not Funny” be formed to remove him from office.
The remark startled attendees, several of whom called foul, while others called for the presentation to continue.
The bridge project, according to the presentation, would provide congestion relief, aid with emergency response times, assist with safety and traffic calming, and provide buffered walkways for pedestrians.
Funny said, as the meeting ended, that the city would respond to some of the questions posed by the attendees, but not answered, and that another public meeting on the project would be held in February 2027.
