There were many people in Sandy Springs who were worried about how the Atlanta Braves' move to nearby Cobb County would affect traffic in the city.
According to a study conducted by the city, it hasn’t.
Data from a study unveiled at an Aug. 1 city council meeting concluded that “no overall significant changes in traffic volume” occurred in Sandy Springs on Braves’ game days when compared to non-game days.
Sandy Springs notes that “no significant changes” does not mean that the intersections operated well, but that the changes in traffic were not different from typical traffic on a normal non-game day.
Tempers flared at previous council meetings and public forums in Sandy Springs over the Braves' move and the impact on traffic in the area. Stemming from those heated conversations, the city studied traffic at six key intersections and along 33 roads.
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Traffic data was collected during typical weekdays prior to SunTrust Park opening and then during weekday game days after the stadium’s opening. Researchers studied traffic on two non-game days in March, and then four game days in April and May.
Studies occurred on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and the six intersections were monitored from 4 to 8 p.m. on those days. The 33 roads were monitored over a 48-hour period.
At some intersections and roadways, traffic was actually slightly lower on game days than non-game days, the study showed.
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The city said it will use this data to better coordinate traffic signals and to adjust its game day traffic plan and monitoring.
The study is available on Sandy Springs' website at sandyspringsga.gov/residents/preparing-for-the-braves.
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