A map of a detour route around a closed bridge

Detour map released by the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Credit: Georgia Department of Transportation

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) will not reopen the Mount Vernon Highway Bridge over I-285 to vehicular or pedestrian traffic due to safety concerns.

The Sandy Springs bridge was closed after a tractor-trailer hit a support column on Wednesday around 12:30 p.m., damaging the structure. 

The driver of the tractor-trailer has been issued overweight and height citations after the excavator he was towing struck the bridge, Capt. Michael Burns, Georgia State Patrol spokesperson, told Rough Draft Atlanta.

No injuries were reported in the crash.

The GDOT released a statement via social media on Thursday saying the bridge was too heavily damaged to re-open and work on building a new bridge will continue as part of the I-285 Westbound Auxiliary Lane project. 

That means there will be no crossing I-285 until summer 2024. 

Read the full statement below.

Screenshot of Georgia Department of Transportation statement on closing Mt. Vernon bridge
Credit: Georgia Department of Transportation

A detour route has been set up and marked by Public Works crews. See the map above. 

Heavy construction began in August 2023 on GDOT’s I-285 Westbound Auxiliary Lane Extension project. This project will add an auxiliary lane along I-285 between Roswell Road and Riverside Drive, and replace the I-285/Mount Vernon Highway bridge.

This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Rough Draft Atlanta.

Tags: Sandy Springs  Atlanta  I-285  bridge  GDOT  Georgia Department of Transportation