I-85 in Atlanta to Reopen by Mid-June, DOT Says
A bridge that collapsed on Interstate 85 in Atlanta will be rebuilt by June 15, reopening a key roadway for motorists, the Georgia Department of Transportation announced this week.
Truck traffic is not prevalent in the downtown route. Trucks rely on nearby I-285 to circumvent the city.
“At the governor’s urging, we are going to incentivize the completion of this work,” said state DOT director of construction Marc Mastronardi. “We have selected a date that we believe is aggressive but attainable and will offer a bonus for early completion.”
RELATED: Fire causes bridge collapse on I-85 in Atlanta
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed (D), who testified at a House transportation hearing April 4, called on Congress to increase transportation funding for cities and states to help avoid such infrastructure disasters. The city received $10 million in federal emergency funds shortly after the bridge collapsed.
“An overall transportation system is needed now more than ever,” Reed told the committee, adding that the collapse pointed to the need for having multiple freight access routes and a reliable transit system.
The rebuilding of the I-85 bridge may serve as an exemplar for how to expedite federal and state permitting rules, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) argued. Shuster is leading a cadre of GOP policymakers on Capitol Hill championing reform of regulations related to infrastructure construction projects.
