Nearly nine years after it was created, the Cascade Road Complete Street project is about two years into construction of Phase I, which runs from Willis Mill Road to Delowe Drive. And while safety remains the ATLDOT's stated core goal, the Department has made changes to the project based on pushback, causing additional delays for people who live and work along the corridor.  

Atlanta is known for many things: our vibrant neighborhoods, unbeatable food scene, and, unfortunately, our traffic, potholes, and dangerous roads. At nearly every corner, pedestrians walk to work, cars honk, speed limits are ignored, and pedestrians are injured by drivers. That’s why the City of Atlanta identified the High Injury Network (HIN)—a list of the city’s most dangerous roads where serious crashes, injuries, and deaths happen far too often.

One of these is Cascade Road, and after multiple tragedies, a project was launched in February 2016 to make this critical corridor safer. The plan? A complete-street redesign to eliminate traffic-related fatalities, slow speeds, and create a more walkable, accessible route for everyone—from people driving and riding MARTA to those walking their children to school.

Where the Project Stands

Nearly nine years later, the Cascade Road Complete Street project is about two years into its construction phase and is currently in Phase I, which runs from Willis Mill Road to Delowe Drive. And while safety remains the core (stated) goal, the project has faced pushback, delays, and real pain from the people who live and work along the corridor.

Many residents at the June 10th meeting – most speaking as drivers –  feel current conditions are worse than before. Construction has narrowed lanes and created detours, and they say it has become more difficult for emergency vehicles to respond on time, parents to reach their children’s school, and neighbors to safely exit their communities.

Redesigning in Real Time

In response to concerns raised by residents, ATLDOT consulted with the Atlanta Fire Department and MARTA to evaluate emergency vehicle and transit accessibility. 

Although the original 10-foot lanes align with national Vision Zero guidelines to slow traffic and improve safety, ATLDOT has begun removing curbside pavers to widen portions of the roadway. This shift highlights a growing tension: the city is backing away from its safety-first design under pressure, rather than standing firm on proven strategies to save lives.

Many residents are concerned about fire trucks being unable to safely pass or make turns. However, fire trucks rarely, if ever, need to pass each other going opposite directions. While fire trucks are often the first to respond to car crashes, safer street designs prevent crashes, reducing the need for emergency response vehicles on the road in the first place.

A Struggling Business District

One of the clearest impacts of this drawn-out construction timeline has been on local businesses. At a recent community meeting, three businesses stated that they had suffered a combined loss of over $401,000 in the past year alone.

“I’m making $200 a day,” one restaurant owner shared. “That’s not enough to feed my family, much less keep the lights on.”

Cascade Heights is home to over a dozen local businesses, run by people who invested their life savings to serve the community. Many say they are now on the brink of closure due to inaccessible driveways, confusing detours, and plummeting foot traffic.

The Bigger Picture: Walkability is a Good Investment

There’s a persistent myth that fewer car lanes mean fewer customers. But the reality is, walkable streets are better for business. National studies show that people walking or biking to a local business spend more per month than people driving. Slower streets create places where people stop, shop, and stay—and that’s good for small businesses.

Cascade Road can be more than just a throughway—it can lay hold of its potential to be more of a destination. But only if we plan with people, not just vehicles, in mind.

A Meeting Without a Microphone for the Community

At the most recent ATLDOT community meeting, on June 11, many in the room had never attended a project meeting. It was clear from the start that what residents needed wasn’t just data and timelines—they needed context, transparency, and a seat at the table.

“We don’t need a presentation. We need a conversation.”
“We don’t have time to wait until September. Businesses won’t survive that long.”

Despite this project having had the most frequent meetings of any in the city, residents report feeling left out, and asked for more frequent meetings, small-group discussions, and better communication for neighbors who don’t use social media. Several even requested a community task force of residents, business owners, and ATLDOT staff to help shape decisions in real time.

While many valid concerns were raised, the dominant voices in the room were those of drivers and business owners—people facing real, daily frustrations with access and navigation. What was less present were the perspectives of transit riders, pedestrians, and cyclists, despite the project’s goal of creating a safer, multimodal corridor. This imbalance in representation underscores the importance of creating intentional space for all transportation users in future meetings, especially those most vulnerable on our streets.

What Was Missing

While ATLDOT did briefly explain Vision Zero—Atlanta’s goal to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2040—in response to a question about lane widths, the broader purpose behind the project was never clearly woven into the conversation.

There was no mention of:

• The crash data that prompted the street redesign 
• The fact that Cascade is part of the High Injury Network where most fatal and serious injury crashes take place
• The city's survey data showing over 80 percent community support for safer road design
• The key design change ATLDOT shared in April 2025 for the Cascade Heights business district. In order to improve safety at the intersection with Boulevard Granada and Benjamin E. Mays Drive, they could install bike lanes in both directions and remove the left turn lanes. The changes would reduce crashes, lower speeds, and provide a connected bike facility, while still allowing left turns at the intersection.

This context was critical in a room where half the attendees had never been to a project meeting, and its absence left many confused, frustrated, or convinced the city was doing something to them rather than with them.

What Comes Next

Residents have asked for:

• A meeting in 30 days, not just every 6 months
  
  
• A clear and public timeline for reopening
  
  
• Support for businesses during and after construction
  
  
• A direct phone or text line for feedback from those not on social media
  
  
• The creation of a community task force

The city has committed to reopening the road by September 2025 and improving outreach. But the message from the community was clear:

“Don’t just build for us. Build with us.”

This isn’t just about curbs, cones, or car lanes. It’s about trust. It’s about a community that wants safer streets and stronger businesses—but also deserves a transparent, inclusive process. The Cascade Road project can still become a model for how infrastructure builds trust, moving Atlanta forward together.

Contact ATLDOT Commissioner Solomon Caviness to call for a safer Cascade Road that meets the needs and protects the safety of residents, business owners, and families using all kinds of transportation.