Icy roads, downed trees causing head aches

ATLANTA — Black ice was one of the biggest worries for road safety workers Saturday night.

Many drivers told Channel 2’s Lauren Pozen they are just staying off the roads all together.

Pozen was in Sandy Springs as brine trucks were put on standby if the freezing temperatures started causing local roads to ice over, causing major problems.

“I am actually really nervous. I am just driving down because I got a flat tire yesterday during the blizzard thing so I just want to make sure my tires are working properly,” driver Jose Ramoz told Pozen.

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Wet ground from melting snow and temperature falling below freezing Saturday night created the perfect combination for black ice. The threat caused some drivers to use a different mode of transportation.

“I really don’t ride the bus, but tonight it is one of those nights that I had to get on the bus,” Marcus Todd told Pozen.

Todd said there was no way he was getting behind the wheel after his experience during Friday’s snowfall.

“The ice and my car, and I didn’t want to get in an accident out here,” Todd said.

In Sandy Springs, the city treated most of its roads before the sun went down, but they have brine trucks ready to hit the roads if conditions worsen.

Local authorities say the best thing for drivers to do is stay off the roads and not take any chances.

“No chances at all. Just go home and chill. Open some wine and chill,” Ramoz said.

Throughout the day there were some trees and powerlines that fell in the area. Several roads throughout the area remained closed.

That was the case in Marietta as well Saturday evening.

Channel 2’s Wendy Halloran found drivers dodging black ice along South Marietta Parkway near Rose Driver.

Halloran came across a truck that slid off the road. Luckily a tow truck was not far behind.

After the wreck, drivers tried to get around the crash, chancing it through the slushy ice into oncoming traffic.

The city of Marietta continued to treat roads throughout the night, but said it's a tall order with patches of ice still forming.

Earlier in the day Saturday, Channel 2 Action News found trees that had crashed along Burnt Hickory Road in Cobb County.

"The transformer went out and it lit up like a Christmas tree," neighbor Jesus Belec said.

Nearly 150,000 people remained without power Saturday night across north Georgia.

Many were upset that power hadn’t been restored yet.

"We've been without power for two days," Belec said.

At least 10 inches of snow caused heavy damage in Cobb, Carroll, Cherokee, Douglas, Union and Paulding counties.

"We don't have no light, no electricity. We don't have no stove right now so we're making it. It's frustrating," Belec said.

Greystone Power has crews working nonstop to restore power to 19,000 people in Paulding and Douglas counties.

"It is long process because you have trees coming down poles, limbs leaning on the lines because of all the snow that we've had and how much weight that those carry," Adam Elrod with Greystone Power said.

Police are asking drivers to be aware, and not try to drive through closed streets.

Cox Media Group