Moores Mill Bridge closure snarls traffic on nearby streets

Moores Mill Bridge closure snarls traffic on nearby streets The closure of Atlanta’s Moores Mill Road bridge has brought heavy traffic to nearby neighborhood streets, residents say. The bridge was closed in mid-October after part of its structure collapsed. The Brief Residents near the closed bridge say traffic has increased on smaller neighborhood roads since construction began in mid-October. Cross Creek resident Chris Watkins says short drives now take much longer, and bus delays have disrupted his child’s after-school activities. Watkins worries traffic and road conditions could delay emergency responders. ATLANTA - The closure of Atlanta’s Moores Mill Road bridge has brought heavy traffic to nearby neighborhood streets, residents say. The bridge was closed in mid-October after part of its structure collapsed. What they're saying: Residents who live near the corridor say the resulting congestion has disrupted daily routines and raised safety concerns. Chris Watkins, who lives nearby in Cross Creek, described the impact the construction has had on the area. "We understand it's necessary, but since then, what has happened to these streets is just unbelievable with the amount of traffic," Watkins said. Watkins noted that morning and evening rush hours have grown significantly worse, sometimes interfering with his family's schedule. "Where we went from is having our child be on time for school to a point where we are missing after-school activities because buses can't get to and from school in time, in [the] morning, we take him to get him on time," Watkins said. He added that a routine trip can take much longer than expected: "Rush hour is insane; we have jiu-jitsu class less than a mile from us, it can take 15 to 20 minutes—not because [of] stop signs, but the absolute number of folks." While acknowledging that the shutdown is necessary, Watkins hopes the city can implement solutions to relieve traffic while construction continues. He also pointed to issues on neighboring back roads near Cross Creek. "It seems like there's not a lot of attention that goes into the overall condition and safety of these roadways," Watkins said. He further expressed concern over potential delays for emergency services during peak travel times. "We don’t know what to do, and god forbid something happens where we need rapid pass of emergency vehicles or something else, we would find ourselves in a real situation," Watkins said. PREVIOUS STORIES Moores Mill Road bridge closed after partial collapse Assessment underway as Moores Mill Road bridge remains closed The Source This is a FOX 5 Atlanta original report. A FOX 5 Atlanta reporter interviewed a resident for this story. Atlanta Traffic News