New Braves stadium bridge may not open in time for first season

May 27, 2015 - Cobb County - A scale model of SunTrust Park sits in the window across from stadium construction. BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM

Credit: Andria Brooks

Credit: Andria Brooks

May 27, 2015 - Cobb County - A scale model of SunTrust Park sits in the window across from stadium construction. BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM

The Atlanta Braves may be well into their 2017 season before a pedestrian and transit bridge meant to provide safe access for thousands of fans at the new SunTrust Park is opened.

It remains unclear how the Braves and Cobb County will manage the flow of game-goers through the already congested area without a bridge to span I-285, although a spokeswoman for the ball club told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week that contingency plans were being made. Plan unveiled on Monday night showed the bridge likely would not be completed until September 2017 -- five months later than originally planned.

Sold-out games are expected to put an additional 25,000 cars on the roads around the stadium, and about 16,000 people will need to cross Cobb Parkway to access the site. Learn more details about the bridge and Commission Chairman Tim Lee's responded to questions about the delay (Hint: are they trying to play baseball or dodgeball in Cobb?) in a story today by AJC reporter Dan Klepal.