Fuel spill, emergency repairs cause all-day Spaghetti Junction traffic jam

I-85 South was shut down for nearly 13 hours Tuesday after a tractor-trailer hauling fuel flipped near Spaghetti Junction in the early morning, spilling fuel and damaging the road, officials said.

The big rig toppled over and spilled its payload just north of Chamblee Tucker Road ahead of the morning commute, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

The Georgia Department of Transportation said the fuel was “extremely difficult to remove” and made the road too slick for motorists to drive on safely. Cleanup efforts took most of the day as crews were forced to repave a 200-foot stretch of interstate, prompting major delays in the area. GDOT called it the “fastest solution” to get the interstate reopened.

Drivers were forced to squeeze by in a single lane until shortly before 6 p.m. The interstate has since reopened, but the ramp from I-285 East to I-85 South remains closed, according to the Traffic Center.

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