Local

An Illustrated Look At The I-85 Bridge Repair Process

May 10th, 2017

It looks like the section of Interstate 85 that’s been closed since March will reopen in time for the Monday morning commute. That’s a repair time of less than two months.

What went in to putting the bridge back together again? More than 85,000 man hours, 13 column replacements, 61 beams, and a bit of good fortune, the Georgia Department of Transportation said.

The following graphic shows how that all came together.

When officials assessed the situation in the days immediately following the massive fire that led to the collapse, they estimated a opening deadline of mid-June.

Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said inspectors have been on the site each day to ensure that the speedy bridge reconstruction, involving 700 feet of roadway, was completed safely. He said inspectors also completed checks of the design, manufacture and placement of the bridge materials.

“All the testing has been done,” McMurry said of the $16.6 million rebuild. “It is safe and it is a quality product.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.