A section of Roberts Drive at Roswell Road in north Sandy Springs is shut down after an overnight crash on July 14 that affected a fire hydrant near the State Route 9 bridge over the Chattahoochee River.
Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul said the Atlanta Watershed Management Department is responsible for repairs to the fire hydrant and water main at the crash site and plans to have the roadway restored by Saturday morning.
“[An overnight accident] … destroyed a fire hydrant and created a severe flooding situation that undermined the roadway at that intersection,” Paul wrote on Facebook. “It is totally impassible, and a significant section of the roadway must be rebuilt.”
Friday afternoon, the city posted an update, confirming “Roberts Drive will be open starting tomorrow, July 18, under a temporary condition this weekend, and will close again briefly next week for paving.”
Hydrant crash along Roberts Drive
The city has not released information about what kind of vehicle was involved in the crash or whether its driver sustained injuries. The police department has not announced charges.
Before Paul shared details about the incident leading to the water main break, it was unknown what caused the damage at the site. There have been several water main breaks and other system issues within Sandy Springs’ city limits in recent years.
The city’s crime dashboard does not display enough information to identify the specific crash incident.
Roberts Drive closure
Roberts Drive is closed to all through traffic between 9755 Roberts Drive and the intersection with Roswell Road until crews perform an emergency water main replacement and associated roadway repairs and resurfacing.
City officials say motorists should expect delays, follow the posted detour, and use alternate routes if possible. Local and emergency vehicle access will be maintained whenever possible.
The detour closes several townhome and multifamily communities along Roberts Drive on both sides of State Route 400.
Also, the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area’s Island Ford Unit will only be accessible from the south via Northridge Road.
The city’s announcement said crews are actively working to complete the repair and restore normal traffic as quickly and safely as possible. City officials said they will continue to provide updates on social media.
Rough Draft Atlanta will update this story if new information becomes available.
