A gas main was struck near the intersection of Johnson Ferry Road and Sandy Springs Circle Wednesday afternoon, triggering a leak that shut down a stretch of the busy road and knocked out gas and electric service to several nearby homes and businesses. Sandy Springs police and fire crews, along with Atlanta Gas Light, converged on the scene as the closure began snarling rush-hour traffic across the area.
According to 95.5 WSB, the gas main was hit near Johnson Ferry Road and Sandy Springs Circle, and the leak left gas and electric service shut off for several homes and businesses in the surrounding blocks. The impacted area stretches from Sandy Springs Circle to Bonnie Lane and Wright Road, the station reports, and Sandy Springs police have ordered motorists not to drive through the closure while urging drivers to avoid the area altogether.
As reported by 11Alive, Johnson Ferry Road is closed from Sandy Springs Circle to Bonnie Lane and Wright Road as crews work to address the leak. Accounts of the scene's evacuation status differ: Atlanta News First reported that six homes and one business in the area were evacuated but have since been allowed to return, citing the fire department, while Fox 5 Atlanta reported that authorities had not announced any official evacuation orders at this time. Hoodline could not independently confirm which account reflects the current status of the scene.
Crews Work to Secure the Area
Fire officials told Atlanta News First that Atlanta Gas Light was on scene “starting to mitigate the situation,” as crews worked alongside first responders near the break. Per Fox 5 Atlanta, first responders were on scene working to secure the area as the response continued into the afternoon. Authorities had not specified what caused the gas main to be struck or how long repairs were expected to take, the station noted.
Sandy Springs police officials said that if emergency personnel ask residents to evacuate, they should leave immediately and follow instructions, according to WSB Radio. Officials also asked motorists to give first responders room to work and to monitor official updates as the situation developed.
Traffic Backs Up as Closure Drags On
By 5 p.m., traffic was building in the area during rush hour, according to a Georgia Department of Transportation traffic map cited by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Rough Draft Atlanta reported that if the closure stretched on for several hours, rush-hour traffic around City Springs at Roswell Road, Mount Vernon Highway and Johnson Ferry Road was expected to be especially congested.
It is not the first time a gas line has disrupted a major Sandy Springs corridor. In May 2025, a gas line strike shut down Mount Vernon Highway between Glenridge Drive and Spruill Lane for an extended period, according to the Sandy Springs Police Department, with police advising drivers at the time to use an alternate route, as previously reported by Atlanta News First. This is a developing story, and Hoodline will update it as authorities release more information.
