Georgia Department of Transportation issued the following announcement on Dec. 7.
As Winter Weather Preparedness Week ends, Mother Nature is speaking up and bringing potential winter weather to Northeast Georgia this weekend. A Winter Storm Watch is in effect from late Saturday night through late Sunday night. Snow and ice accumulations are possible, and travel conditions could become extremely hazardous. Monitor local media and be prepared to adjust travel plans as conditions change.
Winter weather preparation has been a topic of discussion all week, supplies are stockpiled, brine is ready, crews are on call and the snow-removal fleet has expanded — the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is prepared for winter.
The Department has more than 385 snow removal units that are ready to be deployed across the state at a moment’s notice. Also, a well thought-out emergency plan is in place to relocate district resources to the most needed areas during an event.
“GDOT continues to enhance its preparations for extreme winter weather to treat impacted interstates and highways before, during and after a snow or icing event,” said Bryan Haines, GDOT’s Director of Emergency Operations. “Our number one goal is to treat the interstates and state routes and keep them safe and passable, especially for emergency vehicles.”
In preparation of winter weather, GDOT has the following equipment, materials and staff that are readily available:
More than 1,800 employees on call
Thirty-three 5,000 gallon brine tankers
Capacity to store 450,000 gallons of brine
Ability to produce 20,000 gallons of brine per hour
65,460 tons of gravel
55 road weather sensors
385 snow removal units
More than 54,000 tons of salt to cover 39,900 lane miles
This year’s winter season in Georgia is expected to bring colder and “wetter-than-average” conditions, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Colder temperatures mixed with rain mean there are higher chances for black ice to form on bridges, overpasses and roadways throughout the state.
To encourage all Georgians to prepare for winter weather events, GDOT provides helpful how-to videos and blog posts. Watch: GDOT Spokesperson Natalie Dale provides great tips on how to prepare for winter weather.
During winter weather events, the department urges motorists to buckle up, use caution, minimize unnecessary travel, and reduce travel speeds especially in the overnight hours to ensure that Georgia DOT crews have room to treat and clear roadways. For the most up-to-date travel information, visit www.511ga.org or call 511 to stay informed!
Original source can be found here.
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