Cobb County

New I-75 express lanes get first test with winter weather

A lot of drivers who use the new express lanes in Cobb and Henry counties had to find a new way to work or school Tuesday morning.

Crews shut down express lanes in both directions starting at 11 p.m. Monday night despite Georgia Department of Transportation treating them with brine. Salt could be seen on the ground where the roads were treated.

Channel 2's Sophia Choi spoke with officials at the State Road and Toll Authority, which operates the express lanes. The SRTA did not want to take any chances with the slippery conditions.

"We worry about bridges freezing, you know they freeze first. And public safety is our main thing with our customers and we want to make sure we take care of them, our riders," said SRTA spokesperson Scheree Rawles.

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Crews reopened the South Metro Express Lanes which takes drivers to Henry and Clayton counties shortly after 6 a.m. Those lanes are on the ground level.

The Northwest Corridor Express Lanes are evaluated and took longer to open. They reopened shortly after 9 a.m with drivers telling Choi there was no ice in sight.

"They salted the roads, so they obviously took the precautions that they needed to," said driver Shawn Clayton.

When the lanes shut down, it affects a lot of people. The SRTA says 22,700 drivers use the Northwest Corridor daily and another 9,000 use the South Metro Express Lanes.