A construction project in Midtown Atlanta closed a portion of Peachtree Street until Saturday afternoon.
The closure, which began Wednesday morning on Peachtree Street from 5th Street to 6th Street, caused headaches for both drivers and local businesses feeling the impact of construction crews near their shops. Shortly before 4 p.m. on Saturday, the closure was lifted and traffic returned to normal.
But while the street was closed, many shared the same sentiment: not again.
Credit: John Spink
Credit: John Spink
“It’s messing up business today, but we’ll get through it as we always do,” Janine Fryer, a manager at European Wax Center, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday. “There’s always something happening on Peachtree Street.”
Fryer said she felt a bit panicked to hear about the new construction. Workers at the scene said it was to remove a massive crane that helped build Society Atlanta, a 31-story tower at 811 Peachtree Street.
Residents navigating the closed streets gazed up at the tall building as several officers directed traffic at the scene on Wednesday. Some took pictures, while others went about their day.
Fryer’s worries stemmed from the location of their parking lot, which is behind the shop and difficult to navigate. She tried to stay positive because, well, “we have to,” she said, hoping things would wrap up soon.
Next door, inside the Big Peach Ride and Run bike shop, sales associate Jayce Tracanna said the business had been constantly affected by construction. For about a year, the shop’s backlot was closed off during previous work, he said, leaving potential customers unable to park and come inside. The recent construction hadn’t been as bad yet, just annoying, because, like the wax center, their only entrance to the parking lot is hard to get to, Tracanna noted.
“It’s just like more, more? We are getting more?” Tracanna said, adding that he lives in the area and has also felt the impact on his commute. “It just goes on, and on, and on.”
Across the street, Jeceon Tuckett was busy cutting a customer’s hair inside Eclectic Barbershop South Midtown. The barber shared his worries that others would be late or miss their appointments, unaware of the recent construction. Another barber, Bren Ortiz, worried the street closure could cause new customers to pass them by.
“Stops us from getting new business, hinders our old clients,” he told the AJC.
Credit: John Spink
Credit: John Spink
Erica Bonner, an employee at nearby Einstein Bros. Bagels, said she was stressing about the impact the work would have on the store Saturday, when most customers typically come in. She said food delivery apps had been helpful during previous construction work, though she wouldn’t know how Wednesday’s sales were going until mid-afternoon.
Things usually get busy during the week only if an event is happening nearby, she said. About a half-dozen customers were inside Wednesday morning.
“(Tuesday) it wasn’t shut down all the way,” she said, referencing how only two northbound lanes of Peachtree Street had been closed from Tuesday morning until Wednesday morning. “So today is the difference.”
To get around the closure, those traveling north on Peachtree Street were advised to turn left onto 5th Street, right onto West Peachtree Street, then another right onto 6th Street before making a left onto Peachtree Street.
Drivers who were going in the opposite direction were asked to turn left onto 7th Street, right onto Juniper Street, another right onto 5th Street and a left turn back onto Peachtree Street.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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