Five days after a massive fire caused part of I-85 to collapse and shut down the interstate in both directions, part of a busy alternate reopened early Tuesday.

Officials reopened one northbound lane and three southbound lanes of Piedmont Road, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

The opening, however, didn’t result in traffic relief.

Piedmont Road, Cheshire Bridge Road and the Buford-Spring Connector were still packed hours after the morning commute.

The good news is I-85 is expected to reopen by June 15, the Georgia Department of Transportation said Tuesday at a news conference.

GDOT is using contracting incentives as part of a plan to expedite reconstruction of the interstate.

» For updated traffic information, listen to News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB and follow @ajcwsbtraffic on Twitter.

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

Credit: Bob Andres

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Credit: Bob Andres

The storms took down power lines and even power poles, leaving more than 1,000 customers in the dark.

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Stacey Abrams speaks at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris at Georgia State University’s convocation center in Atlanta on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. Abrams is at the center of speculation over whether she will mount a third campaign for governor. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC