GDOT: Daily wear led to pothole that closed I-75 North in Clayton for hours
Normal wear and tear caused a hole to open on I-75 North, officials said, triggering miles of backed up traffic at the top of Clayton County’s morning commute Wednesday.
The situation started around 2:30 a.m., according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. The agency said the “large pothole” formed on the interstate’s bridge over Meadowbrook Lane. The area is just past Exit 231 to Mount Zion Road in Morrow.
On average, I-75 in Atlanta sees 420,000 vehicles daily, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Over time, that amount of constant traffic causes the road to wear down, GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“Much like a pothole in a travel lane this type of degradation is the result of general road use,” Dale said.
The bridge was repaired enough for some interstate lanes to reopen around 7:40 a.m. Dale said bridge inspectors and maintenance staff will continue assessing the damage throughout the day and decide what additional work is needed.
Under the bridge on Meadowbrook Lane, which remained blocked in both directions, a pile of debris and rubble was visible underneath the overpass just before 7 a.m. The site is near a Costco warehouse club.
— This is a developing story. Please return for updates.
