Milton families heading to school Monday, August 3, face a rough commute. The Freemanville Road bridge over Cooper Sandy Creek has been closed since May 26, and when the 2026-27 Fulton County Schools year opens, roughly 2,000 vehicles that used that route daily will hit detour roads already packed with school buses and parent drop-off lines.

Four schools sit in the congestion zone: Milton High School, Northwestern Middle School, Crabapple Crossings Elementary, and some students at Birmingham Falls Elementary. The bridge sits about a mile north of Milton High.

Several bus routes have been rerouted onto Birmingham Highway because drivers can no longer use Freemanville Road, according to Appen Media, citing a city news release. Fulton County Schools said it adjusted routes where possible but acknowledged limits to what the district can do.

The heaviest congestion is expected in the Heritage Walk neighborhood, at the Birmingham Highway roundabout, and along Mayfield Road, all of which feed directly to school entrances. GDOT estimates the detour adds about 2.5 miles and nearly 10 extra minutes per trip, according to the AJC.

Milton police officers will be deployed on weekday mornings and afternoons throughout August to manage traffic flow. The city recommends families avoid driving between 7–9 a.m. and 2:15–4:15 p.m. if possible, and urges parents to put children on the bus or let them walk rather than adding cars to the queue.

Landrum Road, the gravel connector between Freemanville and Birmingham Highway, is closed to cut-through traffic. Residents along that road still have access, but it is not a shortcut option.

Why the bridge is out

GDOT is spending $2.9 million in mostly federal funds to replace the 1960 bridge, which had a load capacity 50% below current design standards. The city negotiated with GDOT to start demolition after the school year ended so the first months of work would fall during summer.

"We recognize there's going to be an increase in traffic on the other parallel north and south roads, but we're lucky at least for the first couple of months, that's going to be happening in the summer when we have less volume overall," Rob Dell-Ross, Milton's deputy public works director, told WSB-TV on May 28, when the project began.

That summer buffer runs out Monday.

The new bridge will feature 11-foot-wide lanes and space for a future multi-use trail. The project is on schedule, with the bridge expected to reopen by the end of October.