Slow down and give yourself extra time on the road Monday. Several crashes on Atlanta roads are causing intermittent closures and delays amid steady rain.
After months of no rain, the metro area has been getting drenched with persistent showers since Sunday. All of that water is washing away the oil and fallen leaves that have collected on dry roads and making for a slick ride, Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Brian Monahan warned.
Additionally, some storm drains may be unable to handle the runoff and lead to pooling in certain areas.
“Unfortunately, it’s one of those mornings where you’re going to run into the brake lights no matter where you go,” WSB traffic reporter Mike Shields said early Monday.
At one point, at least 11 collisions were clogging metro area interstates and highways all at the same time, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.
One of the crashes to cause a big snarl was on I-285 North just before I-20 West and past Martin Luther King Jr. Drive on Atlanta’s west side, according to GDOT.
A spinout crash blocked lanes intermittently throughout the morning, with all lanes being blocked at one point just before 6 a.m. By 6:30 a.m., some lanes started reopening, but heavy delays remained.
As crews worked on that crash, another one popped up farther north on the Perimeter in Cobb County. Shortly after 6 a.m., a wreck on I-285 South just past South Cobb Drive blocked traffic and briefly closed all lanes.
In DeKalb County, on the Perimeter’s east side, a crash intermittently shut down southbound lanes just before Memorial Drive since shortly before 6 a.m.
Another crash affected traffic on I-20 West at Salem Road in Rockdale County. It happened around 5:20 a.m., according to GDOT. At one point, all lanes were closed but reopened by 6:40 a.m.
“The roads are very wet,” Shields said. “Slow your speeds as you head out the door.”
In a separate traffic incident, a small road in Clayton County caved in late Monday morning. It is unclear if rain contributed to the collapse at Longleaf Drive and Pine Creek Road, but it has affected traffic in the Forest Park neighborhood.
Officials ask motorists to use caution in the area while repairs are being made.
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