Atlanta major bridge collaspe

[blue streak 1]

Not enough info yet I-85 northeast of Atlanta fire under bridge.  Well we have no rail alternate.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/

http://www.fox5atlanta.com/

http://www.11alive.com/local/

http://www.cbs46.com/category/208655/atlanta-news

http://www.ajc.com/news/photos-atlanta-fire-highway-bridge-collapses-near-piedmont-road/Fj8E9Gq6FI5nHBn24sTmCJ/#10

[BaltACD]

Love one comment left -

"Don't let the I-85 collapse distract you from the fact that the Falcons blew a 25 point lead"

Priorities are priorities.

[tree68]

It's right next to the transit yard:  N 33 48' 48" W 84 22' 1"

[blue streak 1]

blue streak 1

Not enough info yet I-85 northeast of Atlanta fire under bridge.  Well we have no rail alternate.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/

http://www.fox5atlanta.com/

http://www.11alive.com/local/

http://www.cbs46.com/category/208655/atlanta-news

http://www.ajc.com/news/photos-atlanta-fire-highway-bridge-collapses-near-piedmont-road/Fj8E9Gq6FI5nHBn24sTmCJ/#10

 

 

As of 2300 EDT fire is still burning underneath collasped bridge.   Atlanta airport fire department on site for foam suppression.  Cause of fire not officially given but occurred underneath I-85 on Piedmont road.  Speculation that a vehicle accident happened under I-85 ? ?

 

Pictures shown has the MARTA downtown rail yard.  Marta will be adding service.  Road closed from I-75 / I-85 intersection <> I-85 / Ga 400 . 

 

NS tracks not affected so if only there could be some short time commuter rail ?  Not in  a million years.  

 

[SD70M-2Dude]

I was getting confused over how a concrete/steel bridge managed to catch on fire.  Like you say Blue Streak a major accident with lots of burning fuel would make sense.  Or maybe a fuel pipeline burst and caught fire.

[blue streak 1]

This bridge section that fell was the northbound lanes of I-85.  Not sure but may be 6 lanes ? There may be sections either end of fallen section also damaged ?

The southbound section did not fall but unknown amount of heat damage.  All the road is reinforced concrete pillars and pre stressed concrete pavement panels.

IMO this I-85 carries many more vehicles a day than the I-35 collaspe.  The I-5 bridge north of Seattle had peanuts amount of traffic compared to this bridge.

The north end of I-285 a few years ago had one lane collaspe due to a tanker fire underneath.  GA DOT fortunately had steel I beams just built for a new bridge that were about 4 feet longer than the I-285 collaspe.  They were assigned to the I-285 bridge and finished work and repairs in about 4 months  ?   This certainly is not going to be quick if there is the need to replace support columns ?

This route is covered by the Crescent with traffic from Tocoa and Gainesville.  Wonder if crescent will soon get booked from those stations once people realize it can be somewhat of an option  ?

 

[rdamon]

 

 

 The channel 2 new feed showed a CSX Hi-rail vehicle on the tracks near the site. The new commentator said that he saw a freight train “Blow-Through” the area during the early stages of the fire.

 

Here is the area of the collapse: 

 

[tree68]

SD70M-2Dude

I was getting confused over how a concrete/steel bridge managed to catch on fire.  Like you say Blue Streak a major accident with lots of burning fuel would make sense.  Or maybe a fuel pipeline burst and caught fire.

There was a substantial stockpile of plastic pipe/conduit on reels under the road - you can see them in a picture taken early in the event, and you can see the now-empty steel reels in the fire in some aerial shots.

Being that plastic is just solid gasoline (like the furnishings in your house), I'm sure it burned pretty hot.

[oltmannd]

Rather amazingly, traffic around Atlanta is a complete disaster.  It's worse than the normal bad, but not as bad as I thought it would be.  

MARTA Gold Line is a good work-around.  Problem is lack of parking at Doraville and Chamblee.  Not nearly enough to handle a sizeable bump in ridership.  Adding a several extra trains from Five points north could be a big help - lets see what MARTA comes up with.  

[oltmannd]

MARTA is adding service - nothing specific.  GRTA Xpress busses are operating with detours, adding extra/new service to Doraville from Gwinnett locations, terminating service along GA 400 at Sandy Springs MARTA.

[blue streak 1]

There was a substantial stockpile of plastic pipe/conduit on reels under the road - you can see them in a picture taken early in the event, and you can see the now-empty steel reels in the fire in some aerial shots.

Being that plastic is just solid gasoline (like the furnishings in your house), I'm sure it burned pretty hot.

If there was these items stored under that brings up a question. This is earily similar to the fire under MNRR entrance to the Park avenue tunnels.  Time for reconsideration nation wide of storing items under public transportation bridges ?

[oltmannd]

Another example:

http://www.upi.com/Archives/1996/03/21/Fire-damaged-I-95-reopens-in-Phila/7439827384400/

 

[rdamon]

Any news on the rail operations on the CSX line?

 

Here is the culprit.

 

 

[blue streak 1]

This does appear to be a save a penny pay $1.0M ++.  Suspect that this was storage area for conduit that State DOT has been using for its installation of fiber optic cable TV  for the Interstates and other roads within 50 - 70 miles of downtown Atlanta. Note the conduit shown is behind a fence !

[mudchicken]

Perhaps the knee-jerk/circlejerks in congress can obsess over the highway bubbas  for a while with some new unfunded mandates/ witch-hunts and leave the railroads alone?

[blue streak 1]

reports that I-85 carries 250,000 + vehicles during a week day over this section.

DOT claims that it just stored non flamable materials under the bridge.  Wanna bet ? ?  Tree's comment that the plastic ( PEX ? ) is just solidified gasoline makes more sense.  Wonder who at the DOT is going to fall on the sword ?  Rock, salt or sand is only items would want stored under a bridge ?

  

[ws Corwinda]

blue streak 1

Note the conduit shown is behind a fence !

 

Some playing around with the image shows a well worn path going around the end of the fence. I have a feeling this started in a homeless camp.

 

[blue streak 1]

And now the rest of the story ppart 1 of many ?

http://www.ajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/atlanta-collapse-mystery-surrounds-construction-materials/AlePhAlNvTg2j94ePx2nVP/?icmp=AJC_033117eveningdigest02

EDIT claiming conduit stored there before fiber optic work even contemplated is a farce.  And now google shows no conduit there until April 2012.  Anyone with a sword.

 

[BaltACD]

blue streak 1

And now the rest of the story ppart 1 of many ?

http://www.ajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/atlanta-collapse-mystery-surrounds-construction-materials/AlePhAlNvTg2j94ePx2nVP/?icmp=AJC_033117eveningdigest02

EDIT claiming conduit stored there before fiber optic work even contemplated is a farce.  And now google shows no conduit there until April 2012.  Anyone with a sword.

Irrespective of how long or for what reason the material was stored there - those things are not cumbustible by themselves.  Something or someone started the fire.

[oltmannd]

BaltACD

 

 

blue streak 1

And now the rest of the story ppart 1 of many ?

http://www.ajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/atlanta-collapse-mystery-surrounds-construction-materials/AlePhAlNvTg2j94ePx2nVP/?icmp=AJC_033117eveningdigest02

EDIT claiming conduit stored there before fiber optic work even contemplated is a farce.  And now google shows no conduit there until April 2012.  Anyone with a sword.

 

 

Irrespective of how long or for what reason the material was stored there - those things are not cumbustible by themselves.  Something or someone started the fire.

 

APD has three people in custody...

[tree68]

BaltACD

Irrespective of how long or for what reason the material was stored there - those things are not cumbustible by themselves.  Something or someone started the fire.

An image apparently taken as the fire was starting shows people in the immediate area.  Who they are may be another story. (Edit - apparently they do have an idea who they were...)

With many places now banning smoking on the premises, this may have been someone's off-site smoking area.  Carelessly discarded smoking materials, etc, and so on.  But - that is just a WAG on my part and probably has no bearing on what actually happened..

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

There was a similar fire on or under one of the US 322 bridges over I-81 in Harrisburg, PA about 3 years ago, which necessitated replacement of 1 or 2 sections of bridge.  Overturned gasoline tanker truck was the cause of that one.

- PDN. 

[blue streak 1]

Sunshine parkway ( AKA Florida's turnpike ) had a truck crash under bridge northbound lane SE of Wildwood few years back.  WAS able to divert traffic onto southbound bridge giving 1 lane each way.

[schlimm]

tree68

But - that is just a WAG on my part and probably has no bearing on what actually happened..

Gee, I never knew you ever worked on the "Sole Leather Line"!!

[BaltACD]

Arrests have been made -

https://www.yahoo.com/news/3-arrested-atlanta-fire-underneath-interstate-bridge-060428126.html

[blue streak 1]

For those who want see large group of photos see the following link.  Warning site is overloaded at almost all times and takes much time to load.

http://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/245059796-story

[Shadow the Cats owner]

Right now our drivers going into and out of the Atlanta area are screaming bloody murder at us.  First off they hated the traffic to begin with.  Now with I-85 closed in both directions and it is near impossible to get thru there in a decent manner.  I can tell you this much GADOT is going to have the butt of whoever told that contractor to store all that plastic under the bridge.  It is like they forgot what happened in CA PA heck everyplace where fire happened under a bridge. 

[samfp1943]

Shadow the Cats owner

Right now our drivers going into and out of the Atlanta area are screaming bloody murder at us.  First off they hated the traffic to begin with.  Now with I-85 closed in both directions and it is near impossible to get thru there in a decent manner.  I can tell you this much GADOT is going to have the butt of whoever told that contractor to store all that plastic under the bridge.  It is like they forgot what happened in CA PA heck everyplace where fire happened under a bridge. 

 

Traffic in the Atlanta area has pretty much always been an issue. The Interstates seem to have just exacerbated those problems. Construction to incerease lanes on the perimeter loop create 'choke-points', while the State has concentrated on 'improving the major roads ( read the Interstates! ?).  

The local Road Net is a mess, so many political jurisdictions, and an apparent lack of coordinating planning has created a mess. Intersections with multiple roads intersecting( and multiple roads,each with a different name at the same junction). Multiple communities in multiple ajoining counties. Has led to a 'crazy-quilt' of conflicting political jurisdictions, and conflicting priorities. Facing what drivers face, when heading to, and thru Atlanta is enough to make people crazy.

See link @ http://www.knowatlanta.com/atlanta-metro-counties-cities/

[BaltACD]

samfp1943

Shadow the Cats owner

Right now our drivers going into and out of the Atlanta area are screaming bloody murder at us.  First off they hated the traffic to begin with.  Now with I-85 closed in both directions and it is near impossible to get thru there in a decent manner.  I can tell you this much GADOT is going to have the butt of whoever told that contractor to store all that plastic under the bridge.  It is like they forgot what happened in CA PA heck everyplace where fire happened under a bridge.

Traffic in the Atlanta area has pretty much always been an issue. The Interstates seem to have just exacerbated those problems. Construction to incerease lanes on the perimeter loop create 'choke-points', while the State has concentrated on 'improving the major roads ( read the Interstates! ?).  

 

The local Road Net is a mess, so many political jurisdictions, and an apparent lack of coordinating planning has created a mess. Intersections with multiple roads intersecting( and multiple roads,each with a different name at the same junction). Multiple communities in multiple ajoining counties. Has led to a 'crazy-quilt' of conflicting political jurisdictions, and conflicting priorities. Facing what drivers face, when heading to, and thru Atlanta is enough to make people crazy.

See link @ http://www.knowatlanta.com/atlanta-metro-counties-cities/

Atlanta area has always treated plan like it is a bad four letter word.

[blue streak 1]

Here is the Atlanta Constitution research for quick work.  Note how contractor actually chartered a train to carry steel from Pennsylvania - California.

http://www.myajc.com/news/transportation/how-atlanta-can-speed-repairs/XlT8OqUYiTq85rJEpD6kBK/

 

EDIT  Just anounced GA DOT looking for June 15 completion.