KENNESAW, Ga. | Mar 31, 2017

A rush-hour fire Thursday evening led to the collapse of an elevated portion of a critical artery that provides access from Atlanta to its northern suburbs. As crews work to clean up the wreckage, the region is only beginning to grapple with its impacts.

Making a dollar prediction on the economic impact of this — or even whether the incident could threaten Georgia's gross domestic product in coming quarters — is difficult at this point, said Roger Tutterow, director of the Econometric Center at Kennesaw State University. But that does not mean there is no impact.

“You're talking a significant impact to the businesses for the many weeks to come,” Tutterow said. The biggest impact will be felt by businesses near the incident site.

“If you're a professional business service firm, some of them will be able to tell their employees to telecommute,” he said. "But if you're a face-to-face business … this is going to be catastrophic for the near term."

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 45,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.