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North Druid Hills intersection's extended construction frustrates drivers

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Published  October 28, 2024 6:54pm EDT
DeKalb County
FOX 5 Atlanta

Briarcliff, Lavista roads construction drags along

Residents and businesses near the intersection of Lavista and Briarcliff roads say enough is enough. Construction in the area has moved at a snail's pace since it began over two years ago.

The Brief

    • Construction at the intersection of Briarcliff Road and LaVista Road has been causing disruptions for over two years.
    • The project, managed by the Georgia Department of Transportation, includes widening roads, adding turn lanes, sidewalks, and ADA ramps.
    • Unforeseen delays, including difficulties in acquiring necessary land, have pushed the project's timeline further back.
    • Residents report sporadic work patterns, with crews often absent for extended periods.
    • Despite progress, such as relocating a DeKalb County waterline, the prolonged construction is causing significant traffic issues during rush hour.

ATLANTA - For at least two years now, Briarcliff Road at LaVista Road has been anything but smooth sailing with construction underway on an overhaul of the intersection.

For people in the North Druid Hills area, frustration is mounting, and patience is running thin.

"They work for two or three days, and then they disappear for four months," said Kaz Kazemian.

"We're just wondering when it's going to be finished," said David Shirley.

Shirley has lived a few hundred yards from the intersection for more than four decades. He says this ongoing project is changing the way of life here and has forced some businesses to close or struggle.

"They're trying to make improvements in the area and try to improve Briarcliff Road, but in the short run, it's been a detriment to Briarcliff Road, not an improvement," Shirley said.

The Georgia Department of Transportation says crews are widening portions of Briarcliff and LaVista roads. They are also adding turn lanes, sidewalks and ADA compliant ramps among other upgrades. Construction on this project started in 2022 and was supposed to be completed in July, but that has come and gone.

"It really shouldn't take this long, it should not," Kazemian said.

GDOT says the project was delayed because of an issue acquiring a piece of land in the project area. A spokeswoman said while work was delayed on a portion of the project, crews were able to move a DeKalb County waterline and now work on the intersection is underway.

"They should have planned this out better before they began. If you can't commit to a long-term project and do it well, more planning needs to go into it before you start it."

People in the area say this construction has created a traffic nightmare during rush hour.

Unfortunately, the project is still only 21% complete. The current work going on is the construction of the retaining walls and utility relocations. The water line has been completed. 

Because of the delays in the right of way finalization and the utility relocation, the district is currently in the negotiation phase for a new completion date.

GDOT has not said when the project will be completed, but one resident says he was told it could last until at least December 2025.

The Source

  • The Georgia Department of Transportation contributed details to this FOX 5 Atlanta original report.