Atlanta - I 85 damaged from fire

[MBAtarga]

A section of I 85 was damaged by a raging fire just during peak rush hour tonight. The section that collapsed was on the NB side, but it is likely the SB side will be close for inspection - and repair. If you are headed through for travel/spring-break - you should probably avoid 85 and use the 285 loop/75 instead. It seems there were drainage pipes (PVC) being stored under this raised section and they caught fire. I heard radio reports of drivers seeing the thick smoke from as far as 15 miles.

I-85 fire: Section of interstate collapses in Atlanta - CNN.com

A section of Interstate 85, a major north-south artery for the Southeast, collapsed Thursday evening in north Atlanta after a massive fire, officials said
All lanes of the highway were blocked and will be closed for the foreseeable future, officials said.
That prospect sent shudders through metro Atlanta commuters, who already contend with heavy traffic.

The bridge collapsed about 7 p.m. as crews were battling the massive fire. No injuries were reported. It's unclear what caused the fire, the Atlanta Fire Department said.
Gov. Nathan Deal told reporters the company that originally built the elevated highway would assess the damage.
"It's going to take some time to get it repaired and to get it back in service," he said, without offering a time frame for reopening.

[A930Rocket]

Just read about that.

What a mess that's going to be for months.

[cstreit]

Man if that hwy wasn't bad enough...

[craigster59]

We dealt with the Interstate 5/14 interchange after the Northridge quake. How's your public transportation, because it's going to really come into play. It was a MoFo for awhile.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by cstreit

Man if that hwy wasn't bad enough...

^^^+85

[willtel]

Originally Posted by craigster59

How's your public transportation, because it's going to really come into play. It was a MoFo for awhile.

What is that?

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by willtel

What is that?

It's when everyone gets in their cars and drives 85 mph while talking in their cell phone ....could be worse though.

Think LA parking lot interstate

I despise to drive in either place.

Years ago, my corporation transferred a bunch of folks up from Atlanta....sometimes, we'd have a traffic screwup, and locals would arrive an hour or two late, complaining....

They got a big ol' belly laugh from the Dawg lovers

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

What a mess that's going to be for months.

In cases like this, many times the contract will specify nice bonuses for each day the project is finished early. I remember something in the news during the last 5-10 years about some bridge removal/repair/replace in the SF-Oakland area coming in early and the contractor made out like a bandit.

I doubt this thing will take much over 2-3 months to finish... if that long.

[rattlsnak]

This is going to suck bad for a long time.. That is a major thoroughfare through the heart of downtown.. Only way around it, is to take side streets or go all the around the outer perimeter.

[Chocaholic]

One more reminder of why we moved to Peachtree City 3 years ago. 35 minutes to the airport any time of any day or night.

That's going to suck for a while. Apparently there was tons of plastic construction material stored beneath the overpass that caught fire.

[Baz]

Biggest collapse since the Super Bowl?

[Baz]

UPDATE: Atlanta PD believe the suspected #I85 arsonist is heading East towards Savannah. Please be on the lookout for the following vehicle.

[Chocaholic]

Originally Posted by Baz

Biggest collapse since the Super Bowl?

Touché! Well played sir.

[MBAtarga]

Engineers have determined SB lanes are damaged as well - so both NB and SB sections - about 300-350' each have to be demo'd and rebuilt. DOT spokesperson says the interstate will be closed for months.

[Baz]

[Baz]

[speeder]

It's not often a freeway burns down.

I guess that's what they mean by, "hotter than Georgia asphalt..."

[ckissick]

That's nothin'. This is what we deal with in CA.

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by rattlsnak

Only way around it, is to take side streets

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/traffic-weary-homeowners-and-waze-are-at-war-again-guess-whos-winning/2016/06/05/c466df46-299d-11e6-b989-4e5479715b54_story.html

https://consumerist.com/2016/02/17/motorists-love-waze-people-who-live-on-side-streets-not-so-much/

[CurtEgerer]

I can't comprehend how bad traffic is/will be. I usually time my trips through Atlanta between 11PM and 4AM.

Here it is now, one giant circular parking lot. I'm surprised the section of I-75 north of downtown is showing green?