Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed on Monday limited the hours of non-emergency construction in the area near Interstate 85 while work is ongoing to rebuild a stretch of the road damaged by fire late last month.
Construction in the area is temporarily prohibited between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday from downtown Atlanta to the city limits on the north. The prohibited area also extends east to Moreland Avenue and west to Northside Drive.
The city said it would not accept new construction permits before April 17 to “further mitigate the impact of construction activity on traffic congestion.”
The March 30 blaze in a section of I-85 in Buckhead has shut down a major thoroughfare for metro Atlantans and has sent motorists scrambling for alternative routes, including city streets. Transportation officials hope to reopen the damaged bridge span by June 15.
“Temporarily suspending construction activities during reconstruction of Interstate 85 makes sense and is the right decision to help ease traffic congestion,” Reed said in a statement. “While our partners at GDOT do the essential work of rebuilding the I-85 bridge, we are taking multiple measures to ensure people can make it to work or school on time, and can enjoy their time in our city.”
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