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Mount Vernon Highway bridge reopening after tractor-trailer crash

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  April 22, 2024 6:30am EDT
Sandy Springs
FOX 5 Atlanta

Mount Vernon Highway bridge reopening

In the next few hours, drivers in Sandy Springs will be able to take a bridge that has been shut down for months because of a tractor-trailer crash.

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. - Drivers in Sandy Springs will soon be able to take a bridge over Interstate 285 that has been shut down for months.

The Georgia Department of Transportation announced the new Mount Vernon Highway Bridge over I-285 will be reopening at 9 a.m. on Monday. 

Back in September 2023, the bridge was severely damaged in a tractor-trailer crash.

Now, after months of repairs, a portion of the bridge will be back in business after undergoing major repairs.

Semi-truck crash shuts down Mount Vernon Highway Bridge

Georgia Department of Transportation officials say the crash happened on the interstate around noon on Sept. 28, 2023. Inspectors were immediately dispatched to check out the bridge while the interstate and the overhead structure were closed.

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"The top of the excavator clipped the bridge, creating structural damage," Sandy Springs Police Department Sgt. Matt McGinnis said.

FOX 5 obtained an inspection report of the overpass performed by GDOT on Nov. 10, 2022, that showed numerous issues with the bridge as well as wear and tear. It rated the deck of the bridge as being in fair condition and the overall structure as being in good condition.

At the time, officials estimated the bridge to remain closed until the summer of 2024, but say the City of Sandy Springs and contractor Archer Western Construction's coordination allowed part of the bridge to reopen ahead of the first estimates.

Work continues on bridge over I-285

Work continues on the bridge over Interstate 285 that was closed after it was hit by a truck earlier this month

Mount Vernon Highway Bridge partial reopening

Beginning Monday, one lane in each direction will be open on the bridge.

GDOT says drivers should still expect some delays due to continued construction on the project and there may be minor traffic interruptions on Mount Vernon Highway as crews finish all the new aspects of the bridge.

Officials say the new bridge will have additional sidewalks and multi-use paths for pedestrians. The pedestrian access remains closed until a later date.

The bridge replacement is part of a larger project, known as the I-285 Westbound Auxiliary Lane Extension, which will add another lane on the westbound side of the interstate from Roswell Road to Riverdale Drive.

For more information on the project, visit its website.