3:47 p.m. update: Georgia interstates are clear and other highways are at least passable. But the Georgia Department of Transportation expects more problems tonight and tomorrow and roads refreeze.
“Our biggest concerns are still going to be the potential for patchy black ice,” GDOT spokeswoman Natalie Dale said Thursday afternoon.
Crews made good headway Thursday clearing highways, even in places like Coweta County that were hard-hit by snow, Dale said. But with temperatures expected to dip below freezing again tonight, motorists can expect to encounter slick roads again overnight and Friday morning.
Local roads could be especially troublesome. Dale said it’s easier to clear high-traffic highways than neighborhood roads that may be shaded and where less traffic means less friction to melt icy spots.
Still, road conditions should continue to improve. GDOT crews will work through the night to address icy patches on state highways.
“Roads today are better than they were yesterday,” Dale said. “They’ll be better tomorrow than they are today.”
11:24 a.m. update: The sun is out, but temperatures are still well below freezing. So the Georgia Department of Transportation is still warning motorists to use "extreme caution" if they must travel.
GDOT cited “hazardous conditions” in a warning issued on its Twitter account.
“Interstates/state routes in good shape, but there are still icy patches being reported. Side streets still an issue in some places for local travel.”
“Please use extreme caution if out and about at this time,” the agency said.
Most people are heeding the advice. Traffic remains light on metro Atlanta highways.
6:52 a.m. update: Metro Atlanta interstate highways are in good shape, but secondary routes and neighborhood roads may still be icy and dangerous, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Spokeswoman Natalie Dale said GDOT crews spent the night dropping a mixture of salt and gravel on the region’s highways to break up ice and applying brine and calcium chloride to prevent refreezing.
Dale said interstates are mostly clear, but icy patches may persist in the shade or under bridges. Today GDOT will focus on clearing secondary highways.
“We still want to caution people to watch out for icy patches,” Dale said.
Traffic remained light on the region’s highways.
Original post: Metro Atlanta commuters woke up to a second day of slick roads and light traffic.
With schools and government offices closed, traffic was light before dawn on the region’s highways. Icy patches made commuting hazardous in some areas, and police and transportation officials urged residents to stay off the roads, at least until daylight, when they can see the roads.
MARTA is operating on a modified schedule. The state's Xpress bus service has suspended operations again today. Cobblink and Gwinnett County Transit also have canceled express bus service, and have delayed local service until 10 a.m.
Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing this morning, but will warm up to the 40s this afternoon.
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