Atlanta's rapid transit system is increasing service to accommodate increased ridership expected after a massive fire caused a section of Interstate 85 to collapse.

MARTA says it's increasing rail services and will have additional staff on hand to help passengers.

The fire and subsequent collapse happened during the Thursday afternoon rush hour. Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said there's no way to tell when the highway can be safely reopened to traffic in either direction.

The interstate, which carries 250,000 cars a day, is a major thoroughfare for traffic heading north and south through Atlanta. Georgia State Patrol Commissioner Mark McDonough said the bridge collapse effectively "puts a cork in the bottle."

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Inventor Lonnie Johnson stands with his Super Soaker water guns at JTEC Energy on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. Johnson, a former NASA engineer, is currently working on a new energy technology through his company’s JTEC device that turns thermal heat into usable energy. (Natrice Miller/AJC)