Work finally begins to repair burned Cheshire Bridge Road overpass

Two lanes of overpass expected to reopen by April 1, city predicts.

Work to rebuild and reopen a stretch of Cheshire Bridge Road started this week, three months after it closed due to a massive fire under an overpass, officials confirmed.

Atlanta Department of Transportation spokesperson Michael Frierson said Thursday contractors are expected to work a “seven-day-a-week, 24-hour-a-day schedule” to repair the structural damage to the bridge over the railroad tracks near Faulkner Road.

The bridge has been closed since Dec. 20 when a fire broke out under the bridge during one of the coldest nights of the season. It’s the second time in two years that the bridge was shut down, leaving motorists to navigate detours and local business owners facing more financial losses. ATLDOT did not say why it took several months for work to begin.

During construction, Cheshire Bridge Road between Faulkner Road and Wellbourne Drive will remain closed — at least partially. Frierson said two lanes will reopen by April 1 and construction is expected to be completed by May 1.

“Safety has remained our primary focus as we have worked to inspect and evaluate the damage and develop a plan for repairing and reopening the bridge for public use,” ATLDOT Commissioner Solomon Caviness said.

“The work has been deliberate and comprehensive,” he added. “We are confident that in collaborating with our utility, design and engineering partners and the community, the construction will be completed in the safest, most efficient manner possible.”

Frierson said weather conditions could delay the completion.