The Georgia Department of Transportation’s construction partners will close the Courtland Street Bridge early on the morning of Monday, May 7.  The old bridge will be dismantled and a new bridge will be built in the same footprint.  The new bridge will be re-opened to traffic and pedestrians in 180 days.

The phased dismantling of the bridge will take place between May 7 and mid-June. The phased approach to removing the existing bridge requires no blasting or implosions.  This method will help to protect the surrounding structures and reduce the field of debris.

During the closure, two detour options will be posted effective May 7. One option, for cars and buses, will follow Edgewood Avenue, Pryor Street, and Mitchell Street for a length of approximately 0.8 mile. A second option, for cars only, will follow Gilmer Street, Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive for a length of approximately 0.7 mile.

In addition, signed detours will guide pedestrians through protected pathways on Collins Street, while foot traffic on Courtland will be directed away from construction activity to offsite routes.

This project replaces the existing 111-year-old bridge, from end to end, over the MARTA rail lines, CSX rail lines, and Decatur Street. Area impacts from the project extend on Courtland Street from Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to Gilmer Street.

Time-lapse photography of project progress will be available on the project website at www.dot.ga.gov/CourtlandSt during the closure.