By CHIP TOWERS

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Commuters who thought they were avoiding the morning rush hour Wednesday experienced a rude awakening when they found southbound traffic on I-85 backed up seven miles from Jimmy Carter Boulevard in Gwinnett County.

Enlarge photo

Vino Wong, AJC Gwinnett police blocks three left lanes of I-85 southbound near Jimmy Carter Boulevard for an investigation by the Georgia DOT Wednesday.

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As it turns out, Gwinnett County Police blocked five of the six lanes between mile marker 98 and 99 Wednesday to investigate a previous fatal accident in that area. The investigation began about 9:25 a.m. and wrapped up at some time just after 10, according to the Georgia DOT. Lanes were gradually reopened until all were available at about 11 a.m.

The DOT said their traffic monitoring systems showed “solid red,” meaning a near standstill, all the way back to Highway 316 for a period of about 45 minutes.

“There were some discussions about the timing,” said Georgia DOT spokesman Paul Thomas. “But it is common practice [for police] to go the the scene of a major accident days later. They usually do it between rush-hour periods. The morning rush hour is usually over about 9:30 but, in that particular area, it can last longer.”

Thomas said the investigations can’t be done at night due to the lack of light.

A Gwinnett police spokesman confirmed it was investigating a fatal accident but could not immediately say which one. The investigators immediately moved from that scene to one in an area of northbound I-85 north of I-985 a short time later.