Atlanta Interstate Shuts Down After Road Buckles

A portion of a westbound Atlanta interstate has closed after the road buckled on Monday, officials said.

Lanes on I-20 West between Candler and Gresham roads in DeKalb County were closed indefinitely after part of the road bucked, likely because of an issue with an underground utility installation, the Georgia Department of Transportation said in a statement.

Prior reports indicated that a gas leak caused the buckling, but a spokesperson for Southern Company said the incident did not involve the release of natural gas.

The GDOT and DeKalb County police urged motorists to find alternative routes until further notice. GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale said they anticipate having some lanes open by 5 p.m. EDT Monday, with plans to have all lanes open by noon on Tuesday.

The road buckling and closure comes just weeks after a massive fire caused a bridge on I-85 to collapse in Atlanta, significantly impacting traffic patterns in the city. The GDOT said things will not return back to normal for months.