|
Georgia DOT Continues Preparations for Incoming Winter Weather Event
ATLANTA - As Georgia braces for another round of winter weather expected to arrive overnight Friday evening into Saturday, Georgia DOT crews are actively pre-treating and will plow approximately 20,000 lane miles of interstates and state routes across northern, central, and southeastern Georgia. Crews statewide will work around the clock on 12-hour shifts to ensure readiness and maximum coverage to tackle the conditions before, during and after the weather event.
Brine operations began across metro Atlanta late Thursday night and will continue across the region today. Metro Atlanta routes reached approximately 85% coverage by Friday morning. Crews in northwest, northeast, and east-central Georgia began brining at 7 a.m. Friday and plan to complete all designated routes by 7 p.m., continuing pre-treatment until rapidly transitioning to plow teams once snow begins to accumulate.
Forecasts indicate light to heavy snowfall across much of the state, with snow reaching northwest Georgia late Friday into early Saturday and accumulating in the Atlanta area before sunrise Saturday.
Statewide Response and Real-Time Adjustments
Georgia DOT is taking a statewide approach, strategically positioning crews, equipment, and materials in areas expected to see the most significant impacts. Crews are actively modifying plans and adjusting deployments of personnel, equipment, and materials in response to the evolving forecast. Updated projections from the National Weather Service (NWS) now indicate potential greater impacts farther west than initially expected, and the department is responding in real time to ensure resources are where they are needed most.
Pre-treatment Operations
Efforts are focused first on interstates and critical or high-priority routes, with additional roadways to be treated as conditions permit. Georgia DOT has replenished brine supplies used during last weekend's storm and is prepared with nearly two million gallons statewide, and the capacity to make an additional 50,000 gallons per hour as needed.
In regions expected to experience the heaviest snowfall, crews are focused on brining outside lanes of interstates, ramps and overpasses including:
-
I-75 from the Tennessee line to Macon
-
I-85 from metro Atlanta to South Carolina
-
I-285
-
I-20 through and east of Atlanta to the state line
-
I-16
-
I-95
This strategy maximizes coverage and prepares the routes for plowing once snow begins. Crews will be deployed in additional areas as the need arises. Motorists are urged to give crews room to work, slow down, move over a lane if possible and pay attention to any signage present.
Lane Prioritization and Resource Management
Given the storm's size and potential impacts, Georgia DOT is prioritizing resources to help ensure roads remain passable. On multi-lane interstates, crews will treat the two outside lanes, ramps and overpasses. For two-lane interstates, the outside lane, ramps and overpasses will be the focus. This ensures critical routes remain passable while crews manage statewide operations efficiently.
Plowing Operations
As snowfall begins, Georgia DOT will transition crews to plowing, maintaining coverage throughout the storm. The state has roughly 570 snow removal units, including 439 plows/spreaders/dump trucks and 130 heavy-duty pickups equipped with plows and spreaders, ready to operate continuously.
Motorists should note that accumulation may continue even after roads have been treated and plowed due to heavy, fluffy snow and extremely cold temperatures. Due to the continuous shift work for crews, the amount of lane miles needing coverage and the expansive efforts of the response, it will take crews time between plow routes to clear the roads from one pass the next. Plows will remain on the roads throughout and after the storm to keep routes as safe as possible. Drivers who must travel are urged to stay alert, slow down, and give crews space to work.
Motorist Safety and Additional Support
The public is urged to plan ahead and avoid travel Saturday and Sunday whenever possible.
HERO (Highway Emergency Response Operator) units will continue 24-hour operations on interstates in metro Atlanta, while CHAMP (Coordinated Highway Assistance and Maintenance Patrol) units will transition to 24-hour service on interstates outside of metro Atlanta this evening to assist stranded motorists. Call 511 for HERO or CHAMP support.
Local and county roads are managed by local authorities, and treatment schedules may differ from state-maintained routes. Drivers are encouraged to contact local officials for current conditions before traveling.
Express Lanes
Georgia Express Lanes will close Friday evening and will reopen when conditions allow:
-
I-75 Northwest Corridor - closure begins 9:00 p.m.
-
I-75 South Metro - closure begins 10:30 p.m.
-
I-85 Express Lanes (HOT) - closure begins 12:00 a.m. Saturday
Stay Informed
Motorists should continue to stay informed by checking 511ga.org for up-to-the-minute road conditions, closures or to report an incident. Motorists are also encouraged to stay informed and check road conditions before traveling by contacting 511GA for up-to-the-minute information or to report an incident. Motorists in need of assistance can also request HERO (Highway Emergency Response Operator) or CHAMP (Coordinated Highway Assistance and Maintenance Patrol) assistance by contacting 511GA.
Updates via Social Media
For the latest real-time updates and travel advisories, motorists are encouraged follow Georgia DOT on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram for continuing updates as the storm develops. Georgia DOT will continue to monitor conditions closely and provide updates as the winter storm continues.
Georgia Department of Transportation plans, constructs and maintains Georgia's state and federal highways. We're involved in bridge, waterway, public transit, rail, general aviation, bike and pedestrian programs. And we help local governments maintain their roads. Georgia DOT and its nearly 4,000 employees are committed to delivering a transportation system focused on innovation, safety, sustainability and mobility. The Department's vision is to boost Georgia's competitiveness through leadership in transportation.
###
|
