The highly anticipated resurfacing of more than four miles of DeKalb Avenue is underway and scheduled to be completed by August.
The $5.4 million project began in 2021, but was delayed due to storm water drainage and utility challenges, according to the Atlanta Department of Transportation.
The resurfacing — which began last month — spans from Jackson Street Southeast to Ridgecrest Road and includes repaving, adding bicycle lanes and installing protected left turn signals at intersections.
“DeKalb connects Decatur and DeKalb County into the city core,” said ATLDOT Commissioner Solomon Caviness. “It is that direct link for travelers but also recreational folks, to include pedestrians, bicyclists, and those who just want to access the city and back.
“So it’s a vital corridor for the city,” he said.
Atlanta’s troublesome DeKalb Avenue has become a symbol of frustration for residents who are at risk of popping a tire or even getting into an accident on the city’s crumbling roads.
The city estimated in 2019 that the east-west throughway sees upwards of 20,000 vehicles per day.
Caviness, who joined the department in November 2022, said that before he moved from New Jersey to Atlanta for the job, he was already getting questions about when DeKalb would be resurfaced.
“I already knew DeKalb Avenue was a pain point for the city,” he said. “But considering the volume of traffic and the mixed users, it’s a great example of what’s to come.”
Construction crews are scheduled to work from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday through Friday. But additional work is anticipated. Caviness said the department has asked residents who live along the road to be patient with construction noise and roadblocks.
The Department of Watershed Management is also continuing work to prevent flooding of Krog Street Tunnel.
