State transportation officials say it’s a guessing game whether interstates and other roads will return to normal Thursday, or if drivers would continue to be bedeviled by ice and gridlock for most of the day.
The state’s major thoroughfares had been treated and were at least partially passable as of Wednesday afternoon. Abandoned cars and jacknifed tractor-trailers that had turned interstates into parking lots were becoming less of a problem, said Karlene Barron, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Transportation.
But the still-slushy roads were expected to freeze again after nightfall, creating the potential for driving to become chaotic once again. Temperatures were not expected to rise above freezing until mid-afternoon Thursday. The forecast is for a high around 38 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
By and large, stranded drivers were able to make their way home Wednesday. But many who abandoned their vehicles at the height of the multi-hour gridlock are expected to begin returning to retrieve them Thursday, which creates an entirely new hazard, said Ken Davis, spokesman for Georgia Emergency Management Agency.
“We are going to urge motorists to use extreme caution while driving the interstates and arteries around metro Atlanta tomorrow,” said Davis. “People will be returning to their vehicles. They may be having their hoods up. They may be adding fuel to their cars. And heaven knows we don’t want accidents because a lot of them are on the shoulder close to travel lanes.”
Residents of North and central Georgia are under an advisory to stay off the roads until further notice.
Gov. Nathan Deal declared that state government offices should remain closed. And across metro Atlanta, city and county government offices and school systems also announced they would close.
MARTA bus and rail service will be running a modified schedule that was still being ironed out at press time Wednesday. MARTA spokesman Lyle Harris recommended that riders check the www.itsmarta.com website for the most up-to-date scheduling information.
Xpress buses will not be operating, for the second day in a row, due to the inclement weather conditions.
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