A bank of 21 screens at the Transportation Management Center show views from Georgia Department of Transportation cameras stationed around the metro area at any given time. Collectively, they reflected an outlook for travel in metro Atlanta that was brightening by the minute at noon Thursday.
“We are still encouraging folks to stay off, but I don’t think the concern is as high as it was before,” said Karlene Barron, spokeswoman for GDOT.
The sun-warmed interstates were melting around noon Thursday and the asphalt starting to reappear from beneath its icy blanket. Snow was still sitting in small drifts on the shoulders and medians, and thin slush continued to coat some of the inside lanes of the interstates.
Maintenance and engineer supervisors stationed at the 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.
Traffic was flowing on I-75/85 South of Langford Parkway with almost all lanes clear. Ga 400 at Abernathy had three open lanes, I-75 North of Central Avenue had two lanes flowing swiftly.
I 75/85 South of 14th Street on the Downtown Connector had four lanes flowing and traffic was becoming moderate. 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.
Road maintenance crews in the metro district started at 11 a.m. plowing every lane on I-75 and I-85 from the Gwinnett and Cherokee county lines moving down to the Downtown Connector and on to Henry County.
Traffic volume was already starting to tick upward at midday, and GDOT officials cautioned people who have ventured out to stay back from snowplows. Bridges and overpasses continue to be icy, said Karlene Barron, spokeswoman for GDOT.
“Hopefully we can move off quite a bit of that slush and have less refreezing tonight, but we still caution there is going to be some of that tomorrow morning because there is a lot of water,” Barron added.
Road maintenance crews will retreat more areas tonight with gravel and salt to try and prevent ice from reforming. Barron cautioned drivers to remain vigilant and travel slowly, especially after temperatures dip down to below freezing again tonight.
“It only takes a little sliver of water when the temperatures drop to have that icing situation, so there is still need to be cautious tonight and into tomorrow,” Barron said.
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