I-285 construction leaves congestion on Smyrna residential roads
I-285 work leaves traffic headaches in residential areas
Planned weekend closures on Interstate 285 forced heavy traffic and semi-trucks onto Smyrna residential streets as part of the Georgia Department of Transportation's West Side Rebuild project.
COBB COUNTY, Ga. - Planned closures on Interstate 285 in Cobb County created massive traffic congestion Sunday evening as drivers spilled onto local residential streets.
What we know:
Drivers navigating around the Interstate 285 shutdown found themselves stuck on local roads.
Semi-trucks struggled through residential neighborhoods, taking up to 10 minutes to turn at intersections due to the stand-still traffic.
One area resident opted to walk to get groceries instead of sitting in the congestion on Church Road in Smyrna.
The weekend shutdown closed Interstate 285 between South Atlanta Road and South Cobb Drive.
The closure is part of the Georgia Department of Transportation's West Side Rebuild project, which will replace a 15-mile stretch of the highway over the next three years.
Weekend work began earlier in the spring, with additional closures posted through December.
What they're saying:
Some drivers were completely unaware of the planned construction.
"I live in southwest Atlanta, so I came all the way up here to address a computer glitch, not knowing that I'd be thrown into this," said driver Greer Geiger.
Driver Jayson Moves shared his frustration while stuck in the backup, saying, "How long? Longer than that. Yo, my girl don't even believe that I'm in traffic right now. You heard?"
Moves added that the situation was "annoying, man. Like they are doing most right now. Like you got places to be, money to spend, you know. And this traffic."
Neighbor Randy Lahey noted, "I think it'd probably take an hour to go about a mile and a half, or maybe less. So, haven't done much."
Another resident out for a bike ride said, "It's frustrating. Yesterday, I was coming home in the morning, and I didn't realize it was just like this, and so getting around is going to take some extra time."
What's next:
This stretch of Interstate 285 is scheduled to reopen Monday at 5 a.m.
Next weekend, the interstate will close between Cascade Road and Langford Parkway.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear which law enforcement or transportation agencies are responsible for directing traffic and enforcing truck routes during the detours.
Representatives from the Georgia Department of Transportation did not respond to requests for clarification.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a FOX 5 reporter who interviewed local residents and drivers live off South Atlanta Road in Cobb County, as well as traffic information posted on the Georgia Department of Transportation website.