A major intersection in Midtown Atlanta is blocked by a partially disassembled crane that was undergoing routine dismantling when the construction crew was forced to pause due to severe weather.
The crane is blocking the intersection at Spring and 14th streets, an extremely busy area next to an interchange for the Downtown Connector. According to representatives for Balfour Beatty, the construction site’s general contractor, the crane was being taken apart when work was suspended due to weather concerns. According to the company, the Atlanta Department of Transportation approved the closure of Spring Street through Sunday, depending on weather conditions.
“Balfour Beatty project team members are working on a routine building operation of safely dismantling a tower crane during the construction of the 14th and Spring office project,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. “Due to severe weather in the area, our operations to remove the cranes have been temporarily suspended.”
All lanes of Spring Street are blocked, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. Drivers are being directed onto West Peachtree Street.
The crane was being used to work on the Novel Midtown Atlanta building, a mixed-use tower that will be home to 339 luxury apartments and 3,200 square feet of retail, according to the developer’s website.
While the situation has clear parallels to a crane malfunction in February 2021, it involves a different kind of crane and is not endangering any buildings. In last year’s crane incident, a tower crane suffered a mechanical failure that caused it to lean precariously toward a glass-clad high-rise, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Thursday’s planned road closure involves a smaller, more mobile crane undergoing a routine process and poses no safety concerns.
“Our top priority will always be the safety of the public, our team members and trade partners, and we will continue to work with our partners and our clients as we continue the safe delivery of the new office building in Midtown Atlanta,” a Balfour Beatty spokesperson said.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
About the Author
