Atlanta

Drivers frustrated by changes to busy Peachtree Road

By Liz Artz
By Liz Artz

ATLANTA — Drivers said changes to busy Peachtree Road in Atlanta are creating confusion and frustration.

The Georgia Department of Transportation put down new striping on the road, which is being repaved from Pharr Road to the Buford-Spring Connector.

The middle lanes in both directions have been turned into turn lanes, reducing portions of the road to just two lanes.

"By giving those cars the opportunity pull into that middle two-way left turn lane, we're getting them out of the way whereas they would hold up that inside lane before," said Natalie Dale with GDOT.

GDOT said research shows the changes will reduce the number of accidents.

"We would never do something that we weren't confident was a great mobility option for a corridor," Dale said.

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Drivers said that now if there is anything like an accident, MARTA bus stop or truck making a delivery, there will only be one lane open.

"Those trucks are never supposed to be holding a lane. They are never supposed to be making deliveries in a lane of traffic. Those lanes are for travel, not for parking, so that is an enforcement issue," Dale said.

Channel 2's Liz Artz asked Atlanta police if they planned to ticket delivery drivers blocking lanes of traffic. They said drivers illegally loading and unloading in a lane of traffic will be subject to receiving a citation.

There is also a bridge project in Midtown creating even more congestion. Dale said the two projects were not supposed to overlap. She said the I-85 bridge collapse and Hurricane Irma delayed the projects.

Dale said the repaving and restriping of Peachtree will be finished by the end of the year. She said new traffic signals with a left turn will roll out next year. She said it is unclear when the bridge art project will be complete.

Cox Media Group

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