I-85 Collapse: Use MARTA, Pack Your Patience, Officials Warn

NORTH FULTON COUNTY, GA -- Motorists in north Fulton County who make the drive down GA-400 into Midtown Atlanta are scrambling in an effort to figure out how they will get around the bridge collapse along I-85 near Piedmont Road.

The respective cities where these motorists are coming from are issuing advisories for commuters who need to make the trip south for various purposes.

Your best option? Use MARTA or the Georgia Regional Transit Authority's Xpress bus service, the city of Sandy Springs reminded commuters on its Facebook page.

Now is a good time to explore the North Springs and Sandy Springs MARTA stations available to north Fulton residents.

Due to the I-85 collapse, MARTA said it will provide additional services to accommodate the influx of passengers needed to navigate the congestion and delays. It also noted it will cancel any scheduled single-tracking throughout the weekend.

Alas, for those who must take their vehicles, here is what you need to know, per Georgia DOT:

• I-85 is closed from I-75/Brookwood split to the North Druid Hills exit;
• Motorists traveling northbound on I-85 from the southside of Atlanta will be diverted to northbound I-75 at Brookwood near 17th Street;
• Motorists traveling southbound on I-85 north of Atlanta will be diverted to northbound on S.R. 400;
• Motorists traveling southbound on S.R. 400 from north of Atlanta will be diverted at Sidney Marcus exit; and
• I-285 and I-20 are both open to traffic and are the best alternatives for motorists to utilize, if possible.

Alpharetta officials are also encouraging residents to pack their patience as they work around the closure.

"Please plan your trips accordingly, have patience, and understand alternate routes may become congested at times so give yourself plenty of time for travel," the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety added.

What we know so far

A bridge on Interstate 85 near Piedmont Road collapsed at about 7 p.m. Thursday, March 30. The fire appears to have started in an area beneath the bridge where construction equipment is stored.

The normally busy area had been cleared for Atlanta firefighters to battle the blaze and no one was killed or injured when the bridge collapsed.

The closure forced the DeKalb County School System to cancel classes for Friday, March 31. Fulton and Atlanta school systems are operating on a normal schedule.

When will it be fixed?

Transportation officials say it's too soon to tell when the north Atlanta patch of interstate will be safe for traffic, though it probably won't be overly soon.

They've already begun plans for repairs of the bridge, but the work will take time.

"The extent of the fire-related damage necessitates extensive reconstruction activities to ensure the safety of motorists," said Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell R. McMurry on Friday. "We began design of the known damaged sections last night and continue designs as information is received.
"At this time, we do not have an anticipated duration for the repairs as we have not been able to fully access the site due to hotspots, but we do know that it is expected to be a time consuming event."

Residents are strongly advised to regularly monitor GDOT's website and Facebook page for any updates.

Patch Editor Doug Gross contributed to this report | Images via Georgia Department of Transportation