Melting snow and round-the-clock efforts to keep metro Atlanta roads passable should make for a typical commute Monday morning – which means it will be awful, but probably just the usual awful.
Most interstate highways were already passable before the melt began Saturday afternoon. Roads were expected to refreeze overnight, and the Georgia Department of Transportation hopes you’ll stay off the roads again Sunday.
But by Monday, road conditions should be much improved.
“We will be treating and retreating (highways) all throughout the weekend, and everyone should be prepared for a normal – albeit cautious – commute on Monday morning,” said GDOT spokeswoman Natalie Dale.
GDOT crews have been working since Thursday to prevent freezing on North Georgia highways. The agency spread brine to prevent freezing and rock salt to melt icy spots in some areas.
As snow descended on the region Friday, school closings sparked an early rush hour – and memories of 2014's horrible SnowJam, which left thousands of motorists stranded for hours.
But Dale said Friday afternoon’s traffic jam was caused by high traffic volume, not by poor road conditions. As far as GDOT is concerned, there’s no comparison with 2014, she said.
In addition to spreading brine – which GDOT didn't have three years ago – the agency brought CHAMP roadside assistance units from South Georgia to help with traffic. It didn't have those in 2014, either.
Dale said road crews will continue to work 12-hour shifts until at least Monday. She urged North Georgia residents to stay off the roads if they can, in part for their own safety and in part to make it easier for workers to clear the roads.
“We cannot caution enough about how road conditions will deteriorate overnight,” she said Saturday. “So we encourage motorists to limit travel once the sun goes down due to refreezing on wet roads.”
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