ATLANTA — North Druid Hills Road bridge will reopen on Wednesday after months of construction to replace the 60-year-old structure, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).
GDOT officials are calling the reconstruction and opening of the new bridge "a major milestone."
Although the bridge will reopen, construction will remain around the area.
GDOT crews first closed the busy stretch of North Druid Hills between I-85 and Buford Highway on April 26 to help expedite the demolition and reconstruction of the bridge. Officials said the bridge was originally built in 1962.
The original closure upset drivers; many said it was an inconvenience.
“This is a major thoroughfare that carries an extensive amount of traffic, which is why crews worked diligently to replace the bridge and to minimize the duration of impacts to the traveling public," said Georgia DOT Principal in Charge Albert (Butch) Welch.
According to officials, the new bridge structure is wider and "better equipped for increasing traffic levels."
GDOT stated in a news release that the bridge also has wider sidewalks for pedestrians and ADA-compliant ramps at crosswalks.
The bridge reconstruction is a part of a larger project over North Fulton Peachtree Creek.
GDOT added the project would add a displaced left turn for westbound to southbound movement, construction of an additional bridge over I-85, and a braided ramp from I-85 northbound off-ramp to I-85 access road in DeKalb County.
The larger project's completion is slated for 2025.