A press conference was held in Atlanta Monday afternoon, where state officials addressed upcoming work on a section of I-85 that was destroyed by fire last week.
Georgia Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurray reiterated statements issued by the Department of Transportation last week, saying that although officials are dedicated to repairing the 350-foot-long section of highway near Ga. 400, it could still take several months before the stretch of roadway is reopened.
McMurray said that in addition to jump-starting repair work, officials are also focused on providing alternate routes for traffic while work is underway.
"One example of that was to add the HOV on-ramp from Lindbergh going north on 85, so that you can use that even though you're not an HOV driver," he explained.
Gov. Nathan Deal was also on hand, with the Associated Press reporting that he gave no indication of a concrete timeline to reopen the interstate.
Deal mentioned two strategies to help speed up completion of the overpass: Asking federal authorities to waive various regulations during the repairs, and also offering financial incentives for private contractors and state employees working on bridge repairs.
A portion of the press conference was dedicated to the discussion of the fire that led to the collapse, as well as the state's role in preventing similar incidents in the future.
McMurray said his department will be evaluating "all things,'' including its storage policies, after the fiery collapse of a major Atlanta interstate bridge. Authorities said shortly after the collapse that the fire was started by a man under the bridge in an area north of downtown Atlanta where the state stores noncombustible construction materials.
The press conference also addressed the increased burden placed on local transit agencies in the wake of the collapse. Deal promised financial help from the state to transit agencies seeing increased ridership following the fiery collapse of a major Atlanta interstate bridge.
Federal assistance has also been requested to help cover many facets of the rebuilding process.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
