Emergency officials said Interstates 24, 59 and 75 are clear this morning, but warned of icy patches on smaller roads.
There have been no reports of problems on U.S. 27 in Tennessee or on Highway 153, according to a Tennessee Highway Patrol dispatcher.
Chattanooga police had reports of ice on parts of Lee Highway, Hixson Pike at Ashland Terrace and Highway 58 near the Kmart. The Wilcox Tunnel was closed due to ice according to a dispatcher, but the W Road and Taft Highway on Signal Mountain were open.
Police had reports of dangerous icy patches on Lightfoot Milll Road, Stateline Road in East Ridge , Igou Gap Road, and Runyan Drive.
“Pretty much any road is going to be slippery,” the dispatcher advised around 6:20 a.m.
In Walker and Catoosa counties, dispatchers said there were no official road closings around 6:30 a.m., but drivers should expect ice on roads across the area. Highway 136 at Taylor’s Ridge in Walker County was closed overnight, but authorities reopened the road this morning.
A Bradley County dispatcher said many of the county’s roads are slick, but none were closed around 6:45 a.m. Main roads appear to be in better shape than secondary streets, she said.
Marion County deputies said several roads were icy – particularly Suck Creek Mountain Road – but if drivers stayed slow and cautious there shouldn’t be any problems.
Most county roads in Whitfield County are still iced over and “very treacherous to drive on,” according to a statement from the county’s Public Works department.
In Dade County, and area around Sarah’s Chapel Road and HIghway 11 is “covered in black ice” and several cars have slid into ditches around the county, according to dispatchers. No serious injuries were reported.
“All of the backroads are dangerous at this time,” a dispatcher said.
Police officers at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport said flights are running without delays around 8 a.m.
Around the region emergency workers responded to numerous accidents overnight but the Chattanooga dispatcher said there were surprisingly few in Hamilton County. None of the accidents were reported as serious. The Chattanooga dispatcher said many cars had been abandoned along side streets apparently by drivers who couldn’t drive the rest of the way home.
The National Weather Service forecasts a high of 27 for Chattanooga today followed by a low of 16 degrees tonight. Saturday is also expected to stay under the freezing line, meaning much of the ice may not melt, according to emergency officials.
Check back with timesfreepress.com for updates throughout the morning.