The Georgia Department of Transportation will hold a public information open house on Tuesday, Nov. 10, about the proposal to replace the Peters Street bridge in Downtown Atlanta.

The meeting will be held at Antioch Baptist Church, 540 Cameron M. Alexander Blvd NW, from 5 to 7 p.m.

According to a GDOT press release, replacement of the circa-1935 bridge is necessary due to its age, fractures in the structure, and not meeting current design standards.

The Peters Street bridge was built in 1935. (Courtesy GDOT)

GDOT said improvements will also be required on Ted Turner Drive SW just east of the bridge.

The road would be closed for 36 months during construction, requiring use of a 7.2-mile off-site detour via a state route.

The proposed bridge will be 703 feet long by 68 feet wide and consist of two travel lanes and two bike lanes. A 10-foot sidewalk is proposed on the north side of the bridge, and a 6-foot, 6-inch sidewalk is proposed on the south side of the bridge.

The open house is to provide the public with an opportunity to view the project, ask questions, and comment on the project, according to the press release. The event will be informal, and the public is invited to attend anytime during these hours.

There will be no formal presentation. A court reporter will be available to allow the public an opportunity to make verbal comments about the project.

Comments will be accepted concerning this project until Friday, Dec. 4. Written statements may be submitted to:  

Amber Phillips
State Environmental Administrator
Georgia Department of Transportation
600 West Peachtree Street, NW – 16th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30308

Collin Kelley is the executive editor of Atlanta Intown, Georgia Voice, and the Rough Draft® newsletter. He has been a journalist for nearly four decades and is also an award-winning poet and novelist.