Years of torn-up pavement and orange barrels along Highway 9 have downtown Alpharetta businesses at the end of their rope, with owners saying blocked driveways and maze-like detours are driving customers away. The state-led overhaul near North Main Street has dragged on far beyond the short construction timeline many merchants say they were promised when they signed their leases. Instead of a boost from a spruced-up corridor, they say the drawn-out disruption has turned into a long-running traffic and revenue nightmare.
The work is part of a Georgia Department of Transportation reconstruction of SR 9 from Upper Hembree Road to Windward Parkway that will widen the road, reconfigure side streets and add bike lanes, sidewalks, on-street parking, medians, lighting and landscape trees, according to Georgia Department of Transportation materials. Project documents show construction activity began in 2021 and the scope also includes signal upgrades and a multi-use path meant to connect downtown to nearby neighborhoods.
Businesses Say Customers Can't Find Them
Salon owner Lucy Jimenez told WABE that her driveway has been blocked at times and clients "are constantly complaining" about how hard it is to reach the shop. Other owners said temporary gravel, lane closures and confused drivers have cut into daily sales. Several merchants told reporters they were originally led to believe the project would be finished much sooner, and some now say they are seriously weighing whether to pick up and move rather than endure several more years of upheaval.
Why It's Running Late
GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale told WSB‑TV that utility conflicts and redesign work have been major culprits behind the delays. In a statement to the same outlet, Alpharetta officials conceded, "We know this project has dragged on way longer than anyone wanted," and said the city is working with the state to push the corridor to the finish line. The outlet reports the state-led $50 million project started in spring 2021 and was originally slated to wrap in spring 2024, but GDOT now tells reporters it expects to complete the remaining work in early 2027.
What Comes Next
GDOT's project page lays out a punch list of remaining items, including raised and flush medians, brick-paver sidewalks, turn lanes and pedestrian lighting. Officials say those upgrades are supposed to calm traffic and make the corridor more walkable once everything is finally in place. For now, business owners say they would settle for clearer detour signs, firmer timelines and more consistent communication from the state and the city, a refrain reporters heard again and again when they checked in with merchants along the construction zone.
