Georgia Department of Transportation

01/29/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/29/2026 12:21

GDOT preparing to brine east-central Georgia routes

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For Immediate Release:
January 29, 2026
Contact: Will Volk 478.251.5056
[email protected]
District Two Communications

GDOT preparing to brine east-central Georgia routes

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Augusta, Ga. - Georgia Department of Transportation crews and contractors are scheduled to begin brine operations in District 2 (east-central Georgia) on Friday, January 30 at 7 a.m. Brine is a solution of salt and water used to decrease the probability of freezing under certain conditions.

Georgia DOT crews will focus on interstates and critical and high-priority routes, followed by treatment of additional routes as conditions allow. Due to the potential size of the storm, routes across the entire District 2 area will be treated. To ensure more routes can be treated, Georgia DOT will not treat all lane miles.
  • On routes with two lanes in each direction, crews will brine ramps and outside lanes only.
  • On routes with three or more lanes in each direction, crews will brine ramps and the two outside lanes.
This means the left-hand lane will not be treated on multi-lane highways, including interstates.

Georgia DOT maintenance crews will begin by treating Interstate 16, Interstate 20, and Interstate 520/Bobby Jones Expressway. A Georgia DOT contractor will treat state routes north of I-20. After interstates have been treated, Georgia DOT crews will brine state routes south of I-20.

Trucks must travel 40 mph to properly apply the treatment. Please pay attention and stay back at least 100 feet.

Based on current forecasts, Georgia DOT anticipates switching to salt and plow operations on Saturday morning. Once plowing begins, Georgia DOT crews will continue plowing during the storm and after snowfall ends. Due to the nature of this storm - including large, fluffy snowflakes combined with extremely low temperatures - accumulation is expected to continue even after routes have been treated and plowed.

Drivers should not expect roadways to remain clear during the heaviest snowfall, even after plows have passed. Georgia DOT trucks will remain on the roads throughout and following the storm to ensure routes are cleared as quickly and safely as possible.

Salt and plow operations will be driven by priority. Crews will focus on making one lane of the interstate passable in each direction first.

Georgia DOT urges the public to avoid non-essential travel on Saturday and Sunday. Crews cannot plow roads that are blocked with vehicles. Drivers who must travel should exercise extreme caution, reduce speeds, and allow extra stopping distance on snow-covered roads.

Drivers are also reminded that local and county roads are typically the responsibility of local governments, and treatment plans for those routes may differ from Georgia DOT's operations on state routes and interstates.

Starting Friday morning, crews will be staffed around the clock until the threat is over. All district maintenance personnel will work 12-hour shifts.

Please note, our plans are based on current weather reports and are subject to change.

For up-to-the-minute road conditions, information on closures, or to report an incident, visit 511ga.org. 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.
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Georgia Department of Transportation published this content on January 29, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 29, 2026 at 18:22 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]