Atlanta business owners feel impact of I-285's weekend construction shutdown
The construction project on Interstate 285 not only caused major traffic delays over the weekend. It also led to slower business for some in Southwest Atlanta.
The Georgia Department of Transportation completed some construction work on I-285 between the MLK Drive and Cascade Road exits over the weekend. But GDOT officials say drivers should expect more construction and interstate shutdowns throughout the year.
For Cafe Bartique on Cascade Road, the construction may have kept customers away.
"This weekend, we felt a reduction in business because there was so much interstate traffic due to the shutdown on Cascade and MLK," Cafe Bartique owner Kysii Ingram said.
Ingram is glad construction is over, at least for now.
"I feel relieved because we really don't need anything like that to happen," he said.
Ingram says the cafe usually sees about 30-plus customers on any given Saturday morning.
"It's a heavier time for us, especially on a Saturday morning and a Sunday morning, but that day, we had one or two people sitting inside. That was shocking for a Saturday morning," he said.
Over the weekend, road crews removed decades-old concrete and replaced it with asphalt.
"These concrete slabs are almost 60 years old, so they are well past their lifespan. And in order to really bring the structure, safety, and stability this roadway has needed. We need to rebuild the entire stretch," GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale said.
The I-285 Westside Rebuild Project is an ongoing project for the next three years. Dale warns drivers should expect more interstate shutdowns.
"There is a possibility that we get one more full closure in before World Cup gets here. But if we're not, you'll see it (interstate closures) pick back up again after the summer," Dale said.
According to GDOT, about 194,000 vehicles drive on the west side of I-285 every day, and that volume is expected to grow.
GDOT says these improvements will improve safety and ride quality.
