ATLANTA — A stretch of North Druid Hills Road closes at 9 p.m., Friday, sending drivers on a detour that will add significant time to your commute.
Business owners along North Druid Hills Road between Interstate 85 and Buford Highway are bracing themselves with signs of apology and reassurance that they’ll stay open during work to replace the bridge over North Fork Peachtree Creek.
During the 90 days it will take to tear down and rebuild, Jim Coker will rely on his years of experience to find another way to get from I-85 to Buford Highway.
“I think there’s probably enough alternatives for me to get from north Buckhead to the interstate, but getting to Decatur to have a meal on Friday night is going to be difficult for everyone on this side of town for sure,” Coker said.
North Druid Hills is closing between Buford Highway and West Druid Hills Drive. In rush hour traffic, that section of North Druid Hills Road typically takes only a minute or so to travel.
Georgia Department of Transportation has a plan to help you get around with a 5-mile detour. The route, shown below, follows I-85 northbound to Exit 91, SR 155/Clairmont Road, and then turns onto SR 13/Buford Highway.
According to GDOT, drivers will still have open access from I-85 (Exit 89) and properties next to the bridge work zone during this time.
We tried GDOT’s 5-mile detour around the bridge construction using I-85, Clairmont Road and Buford Highway. It took 11 to 13 minutes, meaning at least ten extra minutes for your commute.
GDOT said closing this portion of the road for three months is the most efficient approach.
“We’re able to replace the bridge faster than if we did that in a tiered approach where we take down lanes, rebuilding those, and allowing minimal traffic over it,” said GDOT’s Natalie Dale.
Dale points out that the 5-mile detour utilizes interstate and state highways built to handle congestion. Your favorite GPS app may take you on a different route.
“It’s the people that live near Lenox Road up here that are going to have a real problem,” said Jim Coker.
While he relies on his internal GPS, the next 90 days may be much more challenging for many others.