Hurricane Irma: Heavy Traffic In Georgia's Escape Routes (PICS)

ATLANTA, GA -- Georgia has become a main route of escape for storm-weary travelers trying to outrun monstrous Hurricane Irma. The latest forecasts from the hard-charging storm have it bending farther to the west, aligning itself with the Eastern seaboard.

Much of Georgia's Interstate 95 is clogged with northbound vehicles moving at a steady rate out of harm's way. (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

Read more: Georgia in likely path of Hurricane Irma

Heading out of Florida, travelers took one of three routes -- Interstate 75 into Georgia, and I-95 and Interstate 10 into Alabama and Mississippi. Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal called for residents in the state's coastal cities to evacuate the area as the storm loomed.

Watch: New Track Has Irma Directly Hitting South Florida

Hurricane Irma: Florida threat looms

“The state is mobilizing all available resources to ensure public safety ahead of Hurricane Irma,” said Deal. “I encourage all Georgians in our coastal areas that could be impacted by this storm to evacuate the area as soon as possible. Beginning Saturday, a mandatory evacuation order will take effect for Chatham County, all areas east of I-95 and some areas west of I-95 that could be impacted by this catastrophic hurricane and storm surge.”

Images and video on social media showed masses of cars on I-95 headed to safer havens in Georgia, South Carolina and farther north.

Drivers from as far as the Florida Keys were on the road Thursday trying to get out before Irma hit the region.

The Georgia Department of Transportation said the I-75 South Metro express lanes schedule has been changed due to heavy traffic on I-75 northbound from travelers fleeing Irma. "The northbound lanes reversal will be begin at 7:30 p.m. instead of 11:00 p.m.," the agency said. "The lanes will remain in the northbound direction until further notice to accommodate the evacuee traffic."

Beginning Friday and for the foreseeable future, the State Road and Tollway Authority opened up the 12-mile Henry County stretch of the I-75 South Metro Express Lanes to all motorists regardless whether they have a PeachPass or Florida SunPass. All tolls along the route were suspended as well, reports the AJC.

North Fulton braces for Irma's impact

The storm was projected to make landfall in Florida on Sunday as a weakened category 4, weather forecasters said.

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