DeKalb

It might look like a local overpass is splitting apart. It’s actually totally safe, GDOT says.

The Georgia Department of Transportation tried to clear things up after a concerning picture made the rounds online.
The Georgia Department of Transportation tried to clear things up after a concerning picture made the rounds online.
By J.D. Capelouto
Dec 27, 2018

Here in Atlanta, we're a little sensitive about the safety of our bridges after, you know, that little fire last March.

So it's no surprise that when a photo circulating online seemingly showed a major local overpass breaking apart, it raised a few eyebrows. The photo, posted on Reddit early Thursday morning, shows a Spaghetti Junction overpass taken from I-85 South, according to the user who posted it.

On first glance, it’s a scary sight, since the bridge appears to have a major gap in it.

But frequent users of Spaghetti Junction can breathe a sigh of relief. Within a few hours Thursday morning, the Georgia Department of Transportation posted on Twitter and set the record straight.

According to GDOT, the bridge has an “expansion joint designed to expand and contract as needed.”

State officials said the joints are common design elements in bridges and general construction projects.

“The bridge is fine & is designed as it appears,” GDOT said. “Thanks for your concern!”

Members of the Atlanta Reddit channel had some humorous reactions to the picture.

“Just put a steel plate over it. It'll be fine,” one user wrote.

“Even if it's correct, it looks unsettling,” another person wrote.

In other news:

About the Author

J.D. is a local news reporter covering intown Atlanta and Atlanta City Hall for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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