TRAFFIC ALERT: Sinkhole shuts down busy Marietta road for rest of the day

Cobb County drivers may need to find an alternate route Friday after a sinkhole opened up overnight on a busy Marietta road.

City officials said Allgood Road will remain closed for at least the rest of the day after a 48-inch storm drain pipe failed between Cobb Parkway and Tom Read Drive, creating a large hole near the intersection.

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Crews are working to replace the pipe and repair damaged asphalt, but it’s unclear how long the fixes could take. In the meantime, drivers should take Canton Road or North Marietta Parkway to avoid delays, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

Allgood Road will be closed from Cobb Pkwy to Tom Read Drive today (Friday, August 28th) and potentially tomorrow as well. A 48 inch storm water drain pipe failed and caused a hole to develop in the road. We will be replacing the pipe and repairing the road. pic.twitter.com/l1rnAMtco0
— 🇺🇸 City of Marietta GA 🇺🇸 (@cityofmarietta) August 28, 2020

Metro Atlanta will see some rain from Hurricane Laura on Friday, but the wet weather should begin to clear out by the start of the weekend.

The powerful storm ripped through parts of Texas and Louisiana on Thursday, leaving a trail of flooding and destruction that killed at least six people, officials said.

Explore‘Prayers please’: Victims show devastation of fatal Hurricane Laura

Laura has since been downgraded to a tropical depression, but its effects will be felt in parts of North Georgia today, creating the potential for strong storms, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan said.

Good morning! Keeping an eye on scattered downpours across north GA today as #Laura moves northeast.

We have a risk of a strong/severe storm later today -- going through the forecast for you at 4:30am on Channel 2. @wsbtv
— Brian Monahan, WSB (@BMonahanWSB) August 28, 2020

“This morning we have some rain, we have some storms — all because of Laura,” he said, adding that scattered showers are expected to linger throughout the day and could cause delays during the evening commute.

Those heading out this morning may want to bring an umbrella or rain jacket just in case.

“We’ve got scattered showers, scattered storms, and a couple of these could get strong this afternoon,” Monahan said. “It’s going to be awfully humid, too, as we watch what is left of Laura get a little closer to us.”

The good news, however, is that this weekend won’t be a total washout. While Saturday is expected to get off to a rainy start, the remaining storms should begin to move out by mid-morning, setting the stage for a relatively dry afternoon.

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

“Saturday will start on the wet side, but by the afternoon we’re going to see less rain, the sky is going to start clearing out a little bit and the second half of your day looks pretty good,” Monahan said.

Because of all the clouds and rain, the temperature in Atlanta isn’t expected to reach 90 degrees again until midweek, according to the latest forecast. The chance of rain drops to 40% on Sunday, but showers and storms are expected to return just in time to start the work week.