Two left lanes of I-75 South in Bartow County were reopened Monday morning after damage to an overpass prompted an emergency interstate closure over the weekend.
Bartow County: Two left lanes of I-75 S below exit 296 are now open. Work continues on removing the damaged overpass. We anticipate all lanes open tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/57ihA8VObz
— Georgia DOT NW (@GDOTNW) December 6, 2021
The bridge near Cartersville was damaged overnight Friday after being struck by a piece of heavy construction equipment being transported on a truck beneath it, authorities said.
The crash involved a tractor-trailer that was transporting an excavator without enough clearance, causing the vehicle’s boom to hit the bridge as the truck drove underneath. No one was injured in the crash.
According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, a bridge inspector deemed the emergency repairs necessary.
All lanes of I-75 South were shut down at the Old Grassdale Road overpass just south of exit 296 starting Friday at 7 p.m., DOT officials said in a news release. Bridge repair crews spent the weekend removing the overpass bridge.
The major interstate closure caused traffic issues on an extremely busy weekend in Atlanta, which played host to two major football events at Mercedes-Benz Stadium: the SEC Championship Game and the Falcons game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Officials expect all three lanes of I-75 South to be reopened by Tuesday, but the Old Grassdale Road overpass will remain closed indefinitely.
