New lane reopens on Buford Spring Connector

ATLANTA — Some more good news for drivers who used to drive on Interstate 85 in midtown Atlanta.

Triple Team Traffic’s Mark Arum reported on Channel 2 Action News This Morning that a left lane had reopened on the Buford Spring Connector south from I-85 south

Most Georgians now know about the raging fire on I-85 that caused a portion of the heavily-traveled interstate to collapse.

On Tuesday, Georgia Department of Transportation estimated the completion date for the interstate for mid-June.

The newly reopened lane is meant for local traffic.

Following the lane opening Thursday morning, GDOT will close all on-ramps to the Buford-Spring Connector Thursday night to re-stripe the ramps to provide two lanes onto I-85 southbound.

Southbound on ramps from Piedmont Road and Armour Drive, as well as I-85 S will be closed from 9 p.m. Thursday to 1 a.m. Friday.

Atlanta police arrested a man and charged him with setting a fire under the overpass Thursday that destroyed nearly 700 feet of interstate and threw the entire metro Atlanta traffic system into chaos.

Basil Eleby was charged with arson and criminal damage in connection with the fire.

Sophia Brauer and Barry Thomas, who said they are homeless, were under the bridge the day of the fire.

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"The guy came down there and he moved the chair from one spot to the next. He put the chair on top of the shopping cart. He reached up under the shopping car," Thomas said. "I didn't think anything about it, when I looked back I seen smoke coming out of the chair and I saw it up against that pipe."

Cox Media Group