Lanes have reopened after an overturned tractor-trailer shut down the Buford-Spring Connector for about two hours early Friday.

The accident, which occurred just past Monroe Drive, created massive backups while investigators cleared the scene and the Georgia Department of Transportation inspected the overpass to make sure it was structurally sound.

Atlanta police Officer Kim Jones said the incident began when the driver of an 18-wheeler dropped his load in a nearby truck yard.

“Unfortunately, he forgot to lower the assembly equipment used in unloading,” Jones said. “Subsequently, the unloading assembly struck underneath the bridge, causing the truck to flip over.”

Drivers took to social media, saying they had been stuck on the connector for as long as two hours. The connector is a major artery into the city.

It reopened about 8:20 a.m.

Drivers should take I-85 South to 17th Street and 17th Street to Peachtree Street as an alternate route, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

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

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