Cheshire Bridge Road fully reopens after fire destroyed bridge more than a year and half ago

ATLANTA — A massive fire shut down part of Cheshire Bridge Road more than a year and a half ago. On Tuesday, the busy stretch of road will finally re-open.

NewsDrone 2 flew over the freshly-replaced bridge for Channel 2 Action News This Morning to show you all four lanes and both sides re-opened.

The lanes will temporarily close at 2:30 p.m. as City of Atlanta officials host a ribbon-cutting ceremony, but Cheshire Bridge Road will be accessible starting at 3:30 p.m.

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The busy artery runs from Buckhead near Interstate 85 and Lenox Road south toward Piedmont Park. Part of it closed after a bridge fire in August 2021, but two lanes reopened last year.

“Been horrible … had to walk two to three blocks to get to the bus stop,” said Jerome Scott, who lives near the bridge, in October.

Businesses couldn’t wait even for half of the bridge to open.

“I lost a lot of business because of the bridge. A lot of clients didn’t want to sit in the traffic, or they would redirect all the way around to the other end of the bridge,” said Larry Jackson, a barber at Anytime Cutz near the closure.

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Some in the area wondered why the demo and construction took so long with a contract not signed for months. But at the end of October they got a treat.

Owner of Taverna Plaka said his business was down about 40% when the road was completely closed.

“Patrons will definitely come back to Cheshire Bridge,” Scott Duke said.

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