DOT Cancels Downtown Connector Roadwork

(WSB Radio)  A big weekend full of Atlanta activities prompts the Georgia Department of Transportation to cancel its own.

The DOT says instead of just cutting planned repaving down to one side of the downtown connector, they are canceling it altogether for this weekend.

Up to 300,000 people are expected in Atlanta this weekend because the Braves are playing at Turner Field, the Hawks are beginning the playoff series at Philips Arena, the Dogwood Festival is at Piedmont Park and a reconceived version of the spring citywide party known as "Freaknik" is planned.

An online search reveals two separately-planned series of events billing themselves "Freaknic" and "Freaknik."  Under any spelling, the name calls to mind a spring break-timed weekend of traffic gridlock and risque partying that got so out of hand by the late 1990s that city officials did everything they could to ban it.

Mayor Kasim Reed had a warning Wednesday to partygoers who might get out of hand: be prepared to face criminal or civil penalties if you break the law.

"I don't want anybody to believe that this is a joke or a game to me, or that you're going to throw rocks and hide your hands," said Reed Wednesday.  "If you have an event inside the city limits that does not comply with the ordinances of this city, it is not going to be a one-day problem for you."

Reed says there will be extra police on duty, and that anyone who gets so disruptive the police have to respond to the scene, he will consider personally suing to recoup the costs.


The DOT plans to resume the repaving next weekend, weather permitting.  Crews are finishing part of the $88.5 million 14th Street Bridge project, repaving the I-75/85 area from 10th Street to the Brookwood split near the AMTRAK station.