Decatur Road Conditions Open Thread: Wednesday Edition
Decatur Metro | January 12, 2011
So, I wasn’t sure if I was going to put another one of these up today, but so far this morning I’ve been hearing really mixed things about the roads.
MARTA is now running buses on a limited schedule and the mail, UPS and FedEx trucks are back on the roads delivering mail and parcels to shut-in residents starving for human contact. (“Hey, thanks for the package. Want to come in for some hot cocoa and some cookies?!”)
So road conditions must be improving, right??
And then a Tweeting road warrior like Thomas Wheatley splashes cold water all over my revived expectations…
Today is the worst for roads. Stay off em. Ice everywhere.
All this leads me to believe that it’s really a mixed bag out there and a post like this is necessary to help folks stay on the clear roads and away from the stretches of arctic tundra.
Intersection of Ponce de Leon and Sycamore photo courtesy of Scarab
Latest from Decaturish
Watching the news – WSB says new icing problems continue to develop.
I left the house (near Second AV and Flat Shoals) at 8:00 this morning. Took Second north to Glenwood, Glenwood east to Candler, Candler north to downtown Decatur. No skids at all and the trip took about 25 minutes. One idiot in my trunk on Glenwood; otherwise, folks were driving very carefully. Ice everywhere, but there were dry tire tracks along the entire route. My wife had a fairly smooth trip to Hartsfield for an 11:00 AM flight which departed on schedule. We consider ourselves to be lucky.
yeah, mixed bag. Going into work, Commerce, Ponce, DeKalb Industrial still had a free lane, no problem with them going cautiously at 25 mph or so. No sliding at all. Others said that side streets that aren’t as cleared as those roads are still more difficult, obviously.
Expect ice when passing marta stations as they keep Dekalb Ave in the shadows.
west ponce has been closed between trinity and drexel after a line of cars got stuck waiting for the light at trinity. cars are now clear but police have blocked off the street.
The idiots have found their way to LaVista and Harobi Roads. When an ambulance has lights flashing and is sideways across LaVista…that doesn’t mean speed up so you can fishtail around the ambulance in the oncoming travel lane. Good thing they missed all vehicles around them. (As witnessed about 30 minutes ago.)
Also, if someone is nice enough to tow you up a hill, PLEASE don’t stand on the brake. It’ll blow the engine of the towing vehicle. Give your vehicle a little gas to assist in the tow. (As witnessed about an hour ago, same location.)
The cops just had to help a MARTA handicapped bus off the hill between Clairemont and Commerce on West Ponce. That’s a nice hill to avoid.
“Getting there” is not such a problem if you do so with caution. Getting out of the car and into your destination is another story. Curbsides, parking lots, sidewalks, steps and porches are a very mixed bag with icy patches where you least expect them and depending on whether it was in shade or elevated. Anything that was moist yesterday is a thin sheet of ice today. Anything that was slush yesterday is now a jagged piece of slippery ice.
Interestates are not so bad- I just returned from taking my son back to Emory Oxford and I 20 had two clear lanes. Its the little traveled side roads that are still pretty icy.
In general, streets are navigable but an abundance of caution is required! Rail crossings at S. McDonough and Trinity were both closed due to ice (11 a.m.) — both have Road Closed barriers and caution tape. (Saw Decatur P.D. ticket someone for going around the barrier at Trinity.) Crossed under at Commerce. Main roads like College, Church and Ponce are icy but heavily sanded. Ice everywhere else (sometimes heavy, sometimes patchy), especially side streets. Park Place at E. Lake behind Marta station is a skating rink. Very dangerous! Probably for the best that few folks are out and about.
North Decatur between Scott and Clifton is passable, but just.
Clairmont to Scott and Scott to North Decatur is also passable.
I would agree that today is the worst day out since this started.
Not much is melting unless it has been salted heavily.
Leave some room, conserve your vehicle’s momentum, and take you time.
We live on N. Decatur between N. Superior and Scott and folks had a heck of a time getting up that hill this morning. I saw several people get stuck. Was impressed to see a Decatur police officer come out give some of them a push. (Basically shoved their car up the hill using that black guard thingie they have on their front bumper–not sure what it’s called.)
The road seems OK now. (I’m not getting out to check, but traffic is moving right along). But if this doesn’t melt and freezes overnight again it will be a big mess.
I drove into my office in Edgewood from Avondale around 9am and College Ave. was terrible. Everyone was going slow and I didn’t skid, but it was solid ice the whole trip except for some bare pavement around Columbia and College. Dekalb Ave was similar, which surprised me. I excepted it to have more wear. There were a few bare spots up toward Radial.
Roads aren’t too bad. The hill from East Lake to East Parkwood is still closed & very icy. But East Lake, Scott, Ponce, Howard, College, and Oakview are pretty good. The only sketchy part I found was northbound on Second, just south of Oakview, which is still a bit icy (though not right at the 4-way stop, fortunately).
I was most concerned about the other drivers out there who don’t know how to drive on snow & ice. DM, I’m not speaking of any of your readers, of course!
McDonough south of Hill St. in terrible shape, very icy. McDonough blocked to northbound traffic at intersection with College.
Watch out for pedestrians who walk in the roadway because the sidewalks are more icy.
Watch out for the idiot I saw jogging in the middle of the right lane of Commerce by Decatur First Bank this morning.
Could someone weigh in on this path to Publix on Clairmont/N. Decatur? I am desperate for some groceries!
Round trip from 3rd & East Lake, East Lake to Scott, Scott to Clairmont
Thanks!
Scott to Clairmont isn’t too bad. At least one lane open in both directions.
I live on N Decatur and see a lot of cars headed in the direction to Publix. Unless they’re all in a pile at the bottom of the hill @ Superior, I assume they’re making it alright?
Seems like people are just brave and sick of being inside. I stupidly went to work when I didn’t need to… I miss my fireplace.
Thanks for the update. I am going to risk it! Can’t. do. leftovers. again…
Hi Moonmommy,
There is another Publix that is most likely closer to you as it is 1.2 miles from the corner of East lake and 2nd Avenue. It is on Glenwood just 1 block to the right from the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Glenwood near East Lake CC and Charlie Yates Golf Course.
I always find it well stocked and the staff is wonderful. I have less traffic to negotiate. It’s my regular store.
Roads to Emory Commons Publix are mostly clear, but the store is out of bread, produce, meat, eggs, salt. Beer supplies are running low, too. Chili, soup fixings hard to come by. Milk is sketchy. Plenty of cereal, frozen stuff.
Thanks, Heather, for the update on grocery availability!
North Decatur is closed from Church St. to Winn Way (the hill in front of the hospital is solid ice). Police had it roped off & weren’t letting cars through. If you’re headed to the hospital, use Sycamore.
I purposely went down N. Decatur last night because I figured all possible emergency routes would be taken care of. Not quite.
I think the roads are okay as long as not many people are on them. I fear that it will get bad once a lot of people venture out.
As work compelled, I drove side street to Adair to Howard/DeKalb Ave in to downtown atlanta from 11-12:10 (yes, that is how long it took from driveway to parking garage). Side roads super icy, but managable at very slow speed. DeKalb got better the closer to Atlanta I got, though definitely some rough patches. I was fortunate and not too many people on road until the newish developed area on DeKalb just before Grady. I must say the drivers got more idiotic the closer to Downtown as well. Stuck for 20 minutes in line of cars behind someone who likely had bald tires plus tried to gun it from 3rd or 4th each time he stopped at a light. they many more tailgaters and a jerk who passed me on Peachtree. Peachtree looks like an 1800s street, all dirt (which just arrived last night). I tried to go up Peachtree Center, but that was police taped off at Edgewood. Side streets like Harris still big patches of ice; International Blvd was well gravelled. Nervous for drive home; will definitely take train in tomorrow (East Lake parking lot didn’t look too bad).
My husband just made it back safely from Publix (Wilton to Clairmont). He did manage to get some beer (yay!), bread, eggs and some produce. They were out of all bagged lettuce and greens, but while he was looking around they unloaded a big box of lettuce. When he walked by a few minutes later there were only 4 heads of lettuce left! He said the roads were a little crazy, but the parking lot was a mess and had a hard time getting the groceries to the car.
We just returned from Target at Edgewood. DeKalb Ave passable if you take it easy, although 1 lane each way at most. The worst places were Dekalb at Oakdale, and Oakdale, going the back way to the shopping center. Target had no bread (or very few loaves/packages) and very little skim milk (only organic) but still had gallons of whole/reduced fat milk and were beginning to restock other dairy. Canned goods aisles looked pretty well stocked as well.
Southern snowstorm travelling tip #754: If your child is trying to go somewhere in icebound Decatur and complains that they cannot get there because their sneakers slip going up the icy hill and you terrrible parent never bought them real snowboots (because their feet grow
a half inch a month and it’s impossible to keep up), tell them to put on their cross-country spikes! Works like a charm! Grouchy kid out of house!
We just walked from Sycamore Dr. (Decatur Heights area) to the square and back. Took us three hours (including some haircuts and lunch at Sweet Melissa’s!). The sidewalks are life-threatening unless you’re ten and under and bounce around like rubber. Otherwise, expect a broken hip or something close. Saw cars sliding on Sycamore Place at the stop signs with Sycamore St, and again on E. Ponce. Now that the “high” for the day has passed, everything that melted is just going to get smooth and slick again.
I just don’t know where the salt is. Kroger was selling bags of salt on Sunday. I wish I had bought some–I would be out salting the roads myself!
I agree about the salt. I understand that city of Decatur doesn’t want or need to invest in major snow plow equipment, but it would seem like our high taxes would at least pay for some salted roads.
The curve on Commerce before you go under the tracks and hit College, just past Fellini’s, is very icy. We are watching from our window and every car is sliding like crazy. I would be shocked if there wasn’t an accident within the next 30 minutes. Be careful DecaturMetro readers!
Dekalb, APS, and Gwinnett are closed tomorrow. Among many others.
Schools, including APS, have already started closing for tomorrow!
This didn’t show up until I had already posted mine.Weird.
At around 3p, Drove I-285 to Spaghetti Junction and back and interstates were fine. Then took a worker home to South Atlanta. When coming back north on Candler, about 4:30p, just before College Ave, hit ice and my car gently slid to the right and came to a stop. The two cars behind me slid also in different directions. None of us hit anyone–Amazing. I also saw two accidents on Candler between Memorial and College Ave.
Here’s a tip if you have to drive: Let some air out of your tires to get better traction. And for those with bald tires, please don’t drive.
AJC says intersection of North Decatur & Church closed as of 8pm. http://ww2.ajcmobile.com/wap/news/text.jsp?sid=1001&nid=34910481&cid=3195&scid=-1&ith=1&title=Top+News
Keep Farmer’s market in mind. I made it there Wrdnesday when it opened after two closed days, and parking lot was completely clear of ice. No problem parking or walking. Nice job of looking after their customers. And the aisles weren’t jammed!