Atlanta's iconic Jackson Street Bridge to undergo radical redesign

ATLANTA - The iconic Jackson Street Bridge is one of the most popular photo spots in all of Atlanta. With the background of the downtown skyline, both tourists and locals flock to the bridge to be photographed. Add the golden hour to the mix and it makes for the perfect tableaux. 

However, snapping a shot is not always easy. Just a tiny sliver of a sidewalk and a bike lane straddles the roadway, sometimes forcing photographers to get out into traffic to try to capture their masterpiece.  

Atlanta City Council member Liliana Bakhtiari wants to change that by making the roadway more pedestrian-friendly. 

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"The idea is to put in a protective cycle track, and have a larger sidewalk, and have it actually be a protected space between cars and people on their bikes or on foot," Bakhtiari said. 

Right now, the risks are just too high for trying to capture the perfect scene. Back in 2018, a car slammed into two men filming a music video on the bridge in the middle of the night. They were lucky to have survived. 

The city council has been talking about fixing the bridge for some years, but they could never get the money for it until now.  

"This will actually protect, and most likely save lives," Bakhtiari said. 

The Atlanta Downtown Improvement District will manage the project. It is not clear when the work will start, but Bakhtiari said it would be finished before Atlanta hosts the World Cup.