The I-85 Collapse

What Happened?

On March 31, 2017 part of the Interstate 85 bridge just south of Georgia 400 and Piedmont Road (Atlanta, GA) collapsed and traffic was brought to a standstill. The fire and destruction luckily caused no injuries, but at the time (6 PM) the source of it was unknown. The incident quickly escalated, and Governor Deal declared a State of Emergency in the area.

Why Did It Happen?

• Authorities came to realize that the cause of the flames that collapsed Interstate-85 just around Buckhead were flames ignited in a fenced-in, storage lot under the highway that the State uses to store construction materials and supplies.
• The supplies were conduits (pipes) made of high density polyethylene used for smart highways

What's Next?

Construction Process

• Bridges have to be built to support heavy loads
• Engineers (Civil) will work to ensure the sturdiness is beyond the perpendicular downward force of cars and other loads
• Engineers evaluate terrain, length of the needed span, cost, aesthetics, available materials and technical expertise

While the construction process is lengthy, the economic backlash is not as great as traffic.
Road building in general creates numerous jobs and also promotes the use of public tranportation

Georgia DOT's Role

• Almost all roads, bridges, airports and transit systems in the U.S. are owned by state and local governments
• This sector of government, the DOT handles all issues of transportation and expects a full I-85 fixture by June 15th
• Trust that funds highway maintenance is funded by the people through taxes on gasoline and gasohol

Alternative Solutions

• A less popular alternative solution is to reach out to private investors for the bridge project and setting up a toll or simply paying back the cost over time with interest
• This solution is not needed as the damage was not that extensive

Preventative Measures