I-85 Collapse: Deal Requests More Money From Feds, Piedmont Road Reopens

ATLANTA, GA -- Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has requested additional funds from the federal government to help cover the costs of increased public transit use in light of the Interstate 85 collapse that shut down an entire segment of the highway in Atlanta.

Deal announced the development Monday afternoon as part of an update to the state's plans to move forward with replacing that portion of the highway in Midtown Atlanta.

Deal sat down with Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry, Department of Public Safety Commissioner Col. Mark McDonough and State Road and Tollway Authority Executive Director Chris Tomlinson to outline the additional steps Georgia is taking to "reduce traffic and expedite reconstruction."

The governor sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation asking for financial assistance "for increased use" of MARTA, Georgia Regional Transit Authority and Cobb and Gwinnett transit systems to U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

The money, Deal said in his letter to Chao, will help offset the increased costs the agencies will have to bear due to the rise in demand for their services. The letter also asked to waive all rules and regulations for contract bids allowing the state to expedite the repair/reconstruction process.

Deal's plea comes just days after the federal government dispatched $10 million in quick release dollars to jump-start repairs on the bridge, which was built in 1953 and reconstructed in 1985.

A fire that started underneath the bridge took out a 350-foot segment of the southbound side of the highway near Piedmont Road and altered the traffic pattern indefinitely for the metro area. Roughly 350-feet of the northbound side of the bridge also suffered extensive damage, and will have to be demolished and replaced.

Three people were arrested and charged in connection to the March 31 incident.

“I want to extend a sincere thank you to our first responders and other state and local employees who have worked tirelessly since Thursday night,” said Deal. “I’d also like to thank our citizens, especially those near the I-85 site, motorists and private organizations for their patience, understanding and willingness to work together during this time. We encourage everyone to continue using caution and exercising good judgment on the roads going forward. We have undertaken several initiatives to safely and expeditiously move traffic and will continue working with state, federal and local authorities to ensure timely repairs, safe alternative routes for motorists and access to mass transit systems.”

Deal also sent a letter to MARTA and GRTA to reassure those agencies the state will kick in additional funds to cover costs associated with increased ridership using Georgia's amended fiscal year 2018 budget.

Deal also:

• announced financial incentives for private contractors and GDOT, GRTA and other state agencies. While no specific approach has been determined, GDOT will work with private contractors and the Office of Planning and Budget to work on solutions for state employees working directly on the reconstruction/repair project; and
• outlined the work policy for state employees, encouraging those at agencies in the metro Atlanta area to telecommute if they are able to do so and encouraging those unable to telecommute to use mass transit, including MARTA, GRTA, and Gwinnett and Cobb transit. The governor encouraged private sector employers to follow suit and allow employees working in the metro Atlanta area to telecommute if they are able to do so.

Last week's historic event has forced motorists to alter their routes around the city.

Some good news released by the state: Piedmont Road/S.R. 237 has reopened in both directions underneath I-85. One northbound and three southbound lanes are currently open for motorists to use.

Furthermore, all I-85 northbound traffic is now being diverted to S.R. 13/Buford Spring Connector. This traffic will be able to take the connector to the point where it connects back to I-85 northbound.

"This is mainly for local traffic only," GDOT said on its 511 Georgia Facebook page. "Long distance travelers should still continue to use I-285 around the city."

For those traveling southbound, your travels will still be cut off at the S.R. 400 northbound ramp. You cannot use the Buford Spring Connector southbound from I-85, the agency added. However, it expects to open a single lane for traffic by Thursday morning.

A small sign of relief from the state: the HOV ramp from Lindbergh Drive to I-85 northbound is open to all traffic. Police are not enforcing occupancy requirements for the ramp. Please note that once you merge onto I-85 northbound, any non-HOV vehicles should move into regular lanes of travel.

GDOT has also provided an updated detour map for you to peruse before you head out the door (not behind the wheel of your vehicle, of course):

The Georgia DOT said it will follow an "aggressive schedule" to replace this portion of the interstate, which is expected to take several months.

A determination was made by state inspectors that the "southbound sections of I-85 received damage from the fire requiring the replacement of those sections, as well as the collapsed section on the northbound bridge and possibly other adjacent sections," Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said Friday.

Image via GDOT