Since a fire led to the collapse of a segment of I-85 in Buckhead March 30, the Georgia Department of Transportation has scrambled to reopen the vital stretch of highway into the heart of Atlanta. Here’s the latest construction update on a project that affects hundreds of thousands of commuters.
The work: Contractor C.W. Matthews is rebuilding 350 feet of northbound and 350 feet of southbound lanes on I-85.
What's done: The contractor shored up the existing 13 bridge columns and laid the 61 beams that will support the highway. It also has poured concrete decks for all six bridge spans under construction.
What's the latest: On Wednesday, Gov. Nathan Deal announced I-85 will reopen before Monday morning's rush hour. GDOT Commissioner Russell McMurry said the northbound lanes should open Saturday, and the southbound lanes should open Sunday.
What's next: C.W. Matthews must still install expansion joints in the bridge spans, finish pouring concrete side barriers and install streetlights in the median. It also must finish striping the pavement and sweep and clear the highway of construction debris.
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