With the weather rapidly warming and the roads beginning to clear on Thursday, Atlanta seemed ready to put its foot on the gas again for Friday's commute. But predawn temperatures Friday hovered near freezing, and state transportation officials said ice hazards remain on the roads.
"My biggest concern now is for refreezing overnight creating black ice in the morning," said GDOT District Engineer Bayne Smith late Thursday night. "Please wait until after the sun comes up and temperatures rise before you drive."
Thanks to repeated plowing and treating -- and temperatures climbing into the 40s -- expressways in metro Atlanta often featured a speed-limit ride on Thursday afternoon. From trees and buildings, the melt water fell like rain.
At the state Department of Transportation, 21 screens show highway views from cameras around the metro area. As early as noon Thursday, the monitors collectively reflected that the region’s travel outlook was brightening by the minute.
Traffic flowed on I-75/85 southbound near Langford Parkway with almost all lanes clear. Ga. 400 at Abernathy Road had three open lanes, I-75 northbound near Central Avenue had two lanes moving swiftly. I-75 South of Delk Road had five lanes passable in both directions. I-85 South, south of I-285 in DeKalb, had three to four lanes moving.
Maintenance and engineer supervisors stationed at the DOT’s Traffic Management Center applauded as they watched a convoy of six or seven snow plows followed by pickup trucks marching down I/75 North, slinging slush to the side.
"It's glorious!" state traffic engineer Kathy Zahul said as she watched it on camera, raising both hands triumphantly and shouting as her co-workers cheered beside her.
Conditions improved even more by late afternoon.
From Alpharetta to Palmetto, workers were weighing whether to make the morning commute on Friday or to stay put for one more day.
Nika Daryooni said she'll be on the road Friday if her employer, Agnes Scott College, is open.
"If they are closed, I'll probably will still go out for a bit because I have serious cabin fever!" she wrote.
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