More gas is headed to metro Atlanta, but it is still at least a week away.

Officials at Colonial Pipeline, the company that pumps gas from the Gulf Coast to metro Atlanta, said they are now operating at the same level before Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Since gas travels about 3.5 mph along the pipeline it will take about a week to reach Atlanta.

Supplies are still tight, but lines at gas stations around metro Atlanta area easing.

Gas is "still going to be tight because we've had a month of reduced rates, but this is a positive sign," said Steve Baker, with Colonial Pipeline.

The bigger problem right now might be the buying habits of metro Atlanta drivers.

"The buying public's intent to continue to fill up is creating an artificial demand in the marketplace, and I don't know how long that will take to iron out," added Baker.

As the lines ease, Gov. Sonny Perdue is waiting for a White House answer to his request to release more crude oil.

Perdue sent a letter to President Bush on Monday requesting that a "significant amount'' of crude oil be released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help ease the shortage.

Perdue contends that while many Gulf Coast refineries are operating again after disruptions from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike last month, not all are receiving enough oil to return to full capacity.

"Now, as refinery capacity is returning to pre-hurricane levels, I believe a surge in crude from the Reserve would bridge the gap until full production resumes and lessen the impact of shortages on the daily lives of our citizens," Perdue wrote in his letter to Bush.

But fuel analyst Tom Kloza with the Oil Price Information Service said extra oil isn't the answer. It could take refineries several weeks to ramp up operations regardless of how much crude they receive.

"It's probably political cover in asking for that," he said about Perdue's request.

On Tuesday, Perdue also made it easier for gas to be delivered by temporarily allowing suppliers without a state motor fuel license to sell gas in Georgia.