Photos: Atlanta I-85 bridge collapse construction progress

Atlanta Traffic

Photos: Atlanta I-85 bridge collapse progress

Atlanta I-85 bridge will reopen by Monday, May 15, 2017, according to Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. The interstate collapse after a fire in late March.

In this aerial image made from a video provided by WSB-TV, a large fire that caused an overpass on Interstate 85 to collapse burns in Atlanta, Thursday, March 30, 2017. Witnesses say troopers were telling cars to turn around on the bridge because they were concerned about its integrity. Minutes later, the bridge collapsed. (WSB-TV via AP)

Aerial photo last Friday shows the portion of I-85 that collapsed after Thursday’s fire. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM

March 31, 2017 Atlanta: Atlanta firefighters remained on the scene putting out a smoldering fire Friday, March 31, 2017 at the I-85 collapse site while construction crews made their way into the zone to begin work. The day after I-85 North collapsed in fire and triggered closures on both sides of the interstate, officials are planning long-term closures and indefinite repairs. Though there were no injuries in the collapseÂ just south of Ga. 400, it means a section of interstate that some 243,000 vehicles traveled on daily is now out of use. âThis is a dynamic situation, and weâre learning as much as we can as time unfolds,â Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said during a news conference Friday at the fire site. Officials suspect the fire started about 7 p.m. Thursday when PVC products stored under I-85 caught fire. Still, McMurry isnât attributing the start of the fire to the materials stored. He said itâs not uncommon for states to store materials under bridges and Georgia has done so with I-85 since about 2006. That material doesnât ignite in fire on its own, McMurry said. âItâs no different than having a plastic cup in your cupboard...needs something to ignite,â he said. JOHN SPINK /JSPINK@AJC.COM

March 31, 2017 Atlanta: Atlanta firefighters remained on the scene putting out a smoldering fire Friday, March 31, 2017 at the I-85 collapse site while construction crews made their way into the zone to begin work. The day after I-85 North collapsed in fire and triggered closures on both sides of the interstate, officials are planning long-term closures and indefinite repairs. Though there were no injuries in the collapseÂ just south of Ga. 400, it means a section of interstate that some 243,000 vehicles traveled on daily is now out of use. âThis is a dynamic situation, and weâre learning as much as we can as time unfolds,â Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said during a news conference Friday at the fire site. Officials suspect the fire started about 7 p.m. Thursday when PVC products stored under I-85 caught fire. Still, McMurry isnât attributing the start of the fire to the materials stored. He said itâs not uncommon for states to store materials under bridges and Georgia has done so with I-85 since about 2006. That material doesnât ignite in fire on its own, McMurry said. âItâs no different than having a plastic cup in your cupboard...needs something to ignite,â he said. JOHN SPINK /JSPINK@AJC.COM

Construction crews continue to work around the clock Monday morning, April 3, 2017 as the commute around the gaping hole in I-85 wasn't as bad as some expected.

April 7, 2017 Atlanta: A little over a week from the bridge fire and collapse of I-85 last Thursday, the Georgia DOT held a news conference Friday, April7, 2017 talking about the details to begin the construction phase on the replacement span of the I-85 bridge, on schedule towards the completion date of June 15.Â Just when the Buford Connector and Piedmont Road began moving in both directions, the WSB Traffic Center reported Friday an expectation of 30 per cent more traffic will hit the roadways beginning Monday after Spring Break. JOHN SPINK /JSPINK@AJC.COM

April 7, 2017, Atlanta, Georgia - Crews continue working at the site where the I-85 NB bridge collapsed in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 7, 2017. Marc Mastronardi, the director of construction, said that the heavy demolition had finished and they were working on reinforcing the columns. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

April 7, 2017 Atlanta: A little over a week from the bridge fire and collapse of I-85 last Thursday, the Georgia DOT held a news conference Friday, April7, 2017 talking about the details to begin the construction phase on the replacement span of the I-85 bridge, on schedule towards the completion date of June 15.Ê Just when the Buford Connector and Piedmont Road began moving in both directions, the WSB Traffic Center reported Friday an expectation of 30 per cent more traffic will hit the roadways beginning Monday after Spring Break. JOHN SPINK /JSPINK@AJC.COM

April 7, 2017 Atlanta: A little over a week from the bridge fire and collapse of I-85 last Thursday, the Georgia DOT held a news conference Friday, April7, 2017 talking about the details to begin the construction phase on the replacement span of the I-85 bridge, on schedule towards the completion date of June 15. Just when the Buford Connector and Piedmont Road began moving in both directions, the WSB Traffic Center reported Friday an expectation of 30 per cent more traffic will hit the roadways beginning Monday after Spring Break. JOHN SPINK /JSPINK@AJC.COM

Crews are working around the clock to repair the section of I-85 that collapsed during a massive fire March 30. (Photo: JOHN SPINK /JSPINK@AJC.COM)

Construction workers continued to reshape the I-85 bridge Monday, working high on the pillar supports as bridge beams were starting to arrive. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

April 24, 2017 Atlanta: Construction workers continued to make progress on the I-85 bridge. JOHN SPINK /JSPINK@AJC.COM

April 24, 2017 Atlanta: Construction workers continued to make progress on the I-85 bridge Monday, April 24, 2017 but traffic on piedmont Road will be closed for 24 hours with continuous lane closures from 9 a.m. Tuesday to 9 a.m. Wednesday, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. Crews are working overnight to set beams for the new bridge, which officials hope to reopen by June 15, according to the announcement. Drivers who use Piedmont Road near I-85 are advised to avoid the route during these hours. Also, drivers in the construction area should reduce speeds while they are in the work zone. JOHN SPINK /JSPINK@AJC.COM

April 25, 2017 Atlanta: Crews staged bridge beams near the old toll plaza on GA 400 as Piedmont Road closed for 24 hours for I-85 bridge repairs, as continuous lane closures on Piedmont in the construction area started at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 25, 2017 according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. Lanes will not reopen until 9 a.m. Wednesday. Crews are working overnight to set beams for the new bridge, which officials hope to reopen by June 15, according to the announcement. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

April 25, 2017 Atlanta: Beams arrived by police escort as Piedmont Road closed for 24 hours for I-85 bridge repairs, as continuous lane closures on Piedmont in the construction area started at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 25, 2017 according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. Lanes will not reopen until 9 a.m. Wednesday. Crews are working overnight to set beams for the new bridge, which officials hope to reopen by June 15, according to the announcement. Drivers who use Piedmont Road near I-85 are advised to avoid the route during these hours. Also, drivers in the construction area should reduce speeds while they are in the work zone. The highway has been closed between I-75 and Ga. 400 since a fire destroyed a portion of the highway March 30. GDOT has vowed to reopen the stretch of I-85 byÂ June 15, and has offered the contractorÂ $3.1 million in incentivesÂ to get the work done even faster. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM
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April 25, 2017 Atlanta: Construction crews have been working around the clock repairing a collapsed section of I-85. Officials say they hope to have the stretch of interstate reopened by June 15. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

April 26, 2017 Atlanta: Workers continued their work after installing the new beams while Piedmont Road, which had been closed since 9 a.m. Tuesday for I-85 bridge repairs, reopened more than one hour ahead of schedule Wednesday morning, April 26, 2017. Crews worked overnight to set beams for the new bridge, which officials hope to reopen by June 15. The Georgia Department of Transportation had warned that the road could be closed for 24 hours. However, southbound lanes reopened just before 7:40 a.m. Northbound lanes reopened shortly after that. Interstate 85 has been closed between I-75 and Ga. 400 since a fire destroyed a portion of the highway March 30. GDOT has vowed to reopen the stretch of I-85 byÊJune 15, and has offered the contractorÊ$3.1 million in incentivesÊto get the work done even faster. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

Work continued May 1 on the new I-85 bridge in Buckhead. Since a fire led to the collapse of a segment of I-85 in Buckhead on March 30, the Georgia Department of Transportation has scrambled to reopen the vital stretch of highway into the heart of Atlanta. Contractor C.W. Matthews is rebuilding 350 feet of northbound and 350 feet of southbound lanes on I-85. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

May 1, 2017 Atlanta: Work continued Monday, May 1, 2017 on the new I-85 bridge in Buckhead. Since a fire led to the collapse of a segment of I-85 in Buckhead March 30, the Georgia Department of Transportation has scrambled to reopen the vital stretch of highway into the heart of Atlanta. Contractor C.W. Matthews is rebuilding 350 feet of northbound and 350 feet of southbound lanes on I-85. GDOT has set a target completion date of June 15 but has provided financial incentives for the company to finish by May 21 or May 25. The Georgia Department of Transportation has said the new I-85 bridge in Buckhead will cost up to $16.6 million. Of that, demolition of the old bridge cost $1.6 million, while incentives for contractor C.W. Matthews to finish early account for up to $3.1 million. That leaves $11.9 million for the cost of the new bridge. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

ATLANTA, GA - MAY 10: Governor Nathan Deal and Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said at a press conference Wednesday that I-85 in Atlanta will reopen in time for Mondays morning rush hour. The northbound lanes probably will be open sometime Saturday and the southbound lanes sometime Sunday, Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry.

May 10, 2017 Atlanta - Construction crews put the finishing touches on new I-85 northbound section in preparation for reopening this weekend on Wednesday, May 10, 2017. I-85 in Atlanta will reopen in time for Mondayâs morning rush hour commute and probably sooner. The northbound lanes probably will be open sometime Saturday and the southbound lanes sometime Sunday, Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said at a press conference Wednesday.HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

May 10, 2017 Atlanta - Construction crews put the finishing touches on northbound (left) and southbound I-85 in preparation for reopening this weekend on Wednesday, May 10, 2017. I-85 in Atlanta will reopen in time for Mondayâs morning rush hour commute and probably sooner. The northbound lanes probably will be open sometime Saturday and the southbound lanes sometime Sunday, Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said at a press conference Wednesday.HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

May 10, 2017 Atlanta - Construction crews put the finishing touches on new I-85 southbound section in preparation for reopening this weekend on Wednesday, May 10, 2017. I-85 in Atlanta will reopen in time for Mondayâs morning rush hour commute and probably sooner. The northbound lanes probably will be open sometime Saturday and the southbound lanes sometime Sunday, Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said at a press conference Wednesday.HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

May 10, 2017 Atlanta - Construction crews put the finishing touches on the median wall between southbound and northbound I-85 in preparation for reopening this weekend on Wednesday, May 10, 2017. I-85 in Atlanta will reopen in time for Mondayâs morning rush hour commute and probably sooner. The northbound lanes probably will be open sometime Saturday and the southbound lanes sometime Sunday, Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said at a press conference Wednesday.HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

May 10, 2017 Atlanta - Construction crews put the finishing touches on the median wall between southbound and northbound I-85 in preparation for reopening this weekend on Wednesday, May 10, 2017. I-85 in Atlanta will reopen in time for Mondayâs morning rush hour commute and probably sooner. The northbound lanes probably will be open sometime Saturday and the southbound lanes sometime Sunday, Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said at a press conference Wednesday.HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Cars are backed up as they opened the closed portion of the damaged northbound lanes of I-85 Friday, May 12, 2017. STEVE SCHAEFER / SPECIAL TO THE AJC

Traffic builds on the first Monday morning commute since the I-85 reopening. JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

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In this aerial image made from a video provided by WSB-TV, a large fire that caused an overpass on Interstate 85 to collapse burns in Atlanta, Thursday, March 30, 2017. Witnesses say troopers were telling cars to turn around on the bridge because they were concerned about its integrity. Minutes later, the bridge collapsed. (WSB-TV via AP)

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