ATLANTA — The mystery midtown roundabout on the Buford-Spring connector is still not fully open. A new exit onto city streets was built, but has been blocked for months.

Channel 2′s Steve Gehlbach went to the Atlanta Department of Transportation and Georgia Department of Transportation for answers.

He learned that it wasn’t built by Atlanta DOT or GDOT, but a private company who eventually wants to develop land back off West Peachtree.

The roundabout and new connection onto Peachtree Street has been open on the Buford-Spring connector for months. But since April, a section exiting up and connecting to city streets by the Savannah College of Art and Design, the Temple and the WSB studios remains blocked by orange barrels and barricades.

While some who live and work in the area look forward to easier access to the connector, others say it will cause too much cut-through traffic. They also worry about safety and said they weren’t notified before it was built.

“Yes, this could be convenient for certain individuals, but at what expense? How would you like an interstate dropped in your backyard?” said one resident.

According to a GDOT spokesperson, it’s ATLDOT that needs to complete speed control and other improvements to city streets, while they are also waiting on some final utility and right-of-way agreements before it can fully open.

But homeowners were told by GDOT that a private developer building the project didn’t complete it, according to plans approved by the state and city. Gehlbach received this response in an email from a GDOT engineer.

“The change was not approved by ATLDOT or GDOT. As it stands, the department is withholding project closeout and bond release until the modifications are acceptable to both departments.”

Gehlbach reached out to ATLDOT to get details about where this stands and their part. He also spoke with president of the Ansley Park Civic Association, who voiced their concerns about the opening.

He said the association is still in the dark about why it’s not open, but they are hoping for a new traffic study once it does.

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