ATLANTA – Georgia officials expect to reopen a stretch of Interstate 85, one of the main highways into Atlanta, before Memorial Day, weeks ahead of schedule.
The section of I-85 in Buckhead has been closed since March 30, when a fire caused a bridge to collapse. Construction materials stored under the bridge by the Georgia Department of Transportation fueled the arson-caused fire.
Department officials originally set a June 15 deadline for completion of bridge repairs, but now they say they expect the road to reopen by May 26, the start of Memorial Day weekend.
That is good news for thousands of commuters who have had to use alternate routes into Atlanta. The closure also affected tourists and commercial transportation, including motorcoaches.
Here is a time-lapse video of the bridge reconstruction:
