Georgia DOT Preparing for Dangerous Road Conditions

Georgia Department of Transportation employees in the west central district are preparing to begin brine operations as a snow event is expected to impact much of the state starting Saturday morning.

They will begin brining all counties east of (and including) Coweta, Meriwether, Upson, Crawford, Peach and the northern half of Houston at 7 a.m. Friday and continue overnight. This will include Interstate 85 in Coweta County, I-475, I-75, and I-16. Brine will also be applied to non-interstate state routes.

District personnel plan to transition to dump trucks fitted with snow plows and spreaders at 7 a.m. Saturday. Some plow teams are dedicated to interstates. The remainder will work on other state routes, unless needed for additional interstate response. In all approximately 365 maintenance employees in the 31-county west central district will work the winter weather event.

Please note that plans remain fluid. Georgia DOT personnel will respond where they are needed as the winter storm develops and progresses.

Georgia DOT is prepared with approximately 570 snow removal units statewide, including 439 snowplows that also function as spreaders and dump trucks, plus an additional 130 heavy-duty pickups equipped with plows and spreaders. These units will remain active throughout the storm to help keep interstates and critical routes passable.

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.

Motorists 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.

Georgia DOT urges the public to remain aware of weather alerts and avoid travel whenever possible on Saturday and Sunday. Keeping traffic off the roads while crews are treating and plowing allows operations to be more effective and is the safest option for everyone. Please remember to not crowd brine trucks and snow plows. Motorists who must travel should reduce speeds, and allow extra stopping distance on snow-covered roads. Remember you can stay informed by checking 511GA for up-to-the-minute road conditions on state routes, closures or to report an incident.

Motorists 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. Drivers should check with local officials for current conditions and treatment plans on local and county roadways before traveling.

Georgia DOT recognizes that many Georgians are already fatigued by back-to-back winter storms and repeated requests to stay off the roads. However, the department asks for patience one more weekend and encourages the public to stay home and enjoy the snow.

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.