Report: I-85 to reopen Monday

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that a burned out portion of I-85 at Piedmont Road will reopen on Monday.
That puts the project weeks ahead of schedule. The original deadline was June 15. Crews have been working quickly to repair the road following a March 30 fire.
But the investigation into how the fire started will continue. The Georgia Department of Transportation faced tough questions about the storage of materials under the bridge. Police allege Basil Eleby started the fire after a conversation about smoking crack under the interstate. GDOT stored high-density polyethylene and fiberglass conduit under the bridge. GDOT Commissioner Russell McMurry said these materials were left over from a 2007 project that was cancelled after the contractor was found to be in default.
The materials were first placed at the intersection of Sydney Marcus Boulevard and Buford Highway before being moved under I-85 at Piedmont Road in 2011, he said.
He said GDOT is cooperating fully with investigators and said he personally notified the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials about this in case other transportation departments want to review their policies about storing materials. He asked the state fire marshal for assistance in reviewing the state DOT’s storage policies. The National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating the incident.