Cheshire Bridge reopens 5 months after being shut down by fire

ATLANTA — Five months after a fire in a homeless encampment damaged a bridge on Cheshire Bridge Road and shut it down, the road has reopened.

The Atlanta Department of Transportation confirmed on Wednesday that the bridge and road between Faulkner Road and Wellbourne Drive are officially open and safe to drive on.

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The fire started in late December around 1 a.m. in a homeless encampment under the bridge and took firefighters nearly an hour to put it out. The bridge crosses over a railroad line.

In early January, Atlanta City Councilman Alex Wan said the bridge would not have to be demolished and could be repaired, but it would take 10 weeks to do so.

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The timeline for repairs to be completed was delayed several times, ultimately settling on mid-May.

Last week, Atlanta DOT officials told Channel 2 Action News that they were eyeing a May 27 completion date for the project. It’s Wednesday opening means crews were slightly ahead of schedule at the end of the project.

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Businesses affected by Cheshire Bridge Road closing frustrated over delays

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