Atlanta Mayor Urges Businesses to Close Early on Friday

ATLANTA GA -- Mayor Kasim Reed is urging local businesses to allow their employees to leave early on Friday in advance of a winter storm expected to hit the city this afternoon and evening.

The mayor outlined the city’s plans to deal with the winter weather at a Friday morning news conference, reports the AJC.

City offices closed at 11 am, one hour before Gov. Nathan Deal had ordered all state offices to close. Fulton County government is closing by 1:30 pm.

Reed also asked businesses to begin letting their employees go home no later than 2 pm.

The Georgia Department of Transportation is preparing to treat metro Atlanta roads early this afternoon as soon as rain moves out of the area.

“Our biggest concern is the small window of time that we have to get ahead of the snow and ice that is forecasted,” said Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell R. McMurry. “We will have our crews strategically placed in locations where they can quickly spread the materials on all the major interstates and state routes. But we must have the public’s cooperation in this effort. We cannot spread the materials if we are stuck in traffic; and without the materials on the roadway before the snow hits, we lose a valuable tool in fighting the effects of this winter storm.”

The latest forecast indicates a window between 3-6 pm in Metro Atlanta where the Department will have trucks on the highways applying brine and spreading materials.

“It is essential that the public be off the roads at this time to enable GDOT in our efforts to successfully get this material on the roadway,” the department said in a release.

The winter storm forecasted to move into the metro area this afternoon is expected to dump sleet and snow with strong wind gusts later this afternoon. As a result, Georgia DOT will immediately begin spreading materials as soon as rain moves out of the area.