Businesses suffering with demolition of Cheshire Bridge Road set to begin

Final preparations before Cheshire Bridge Road demolition begins

The road was severely damaged by fire and will require at least one year to repair. Local businesses are devastated by the closure of the major bridge.

ATLANTA - The final preparations are wrapping up before a major Atlanta road is demolished for reconstruction.

A section of Cheshire Bridge Road was severely damaged in an overnight fire in August and has been closed ever since. The fire originated from a malfunctioned gas line.

Atlanta’s top-ranking transportation official told members of the city council the bridge over the south fork of Peachtree Creek along Cheshire Bridge Road could be closed for at least a year.

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The Cheshire Bridge Business Coalition sent a letter to the Atlanta City Council and Mayor's Office outlining their concerns and demands for change.

"Imagine asking someone to cut your paycheck in half and it may be a year or year-and-a-half before you get the full amount again," restaurant owner Sachiyo Nakato Takahara said.

The bridge is approximately 90 years old. The Atlanta Department of Transportation stripped the bridge of utilities. It plans to keep crews working 24/7 until the bridge project is complete and safely drivable.

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