Georgia DOT Prepares For Winter Conditions

ATLANTA, GA – The Georgia Department of Transportation is preparing for winter making weather preparation a top priority during National Winter Weather Preparedness Week. Supplies are stocked, salt is ready and crews across the state have already begun to hit the highway to assess routes and snow removal capabilities.

Georgia DOT has 386 snow removal units and 80 Ford-250 pick-ups ready to be deployed across Georgia. An emergency plan is also 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 Larry Barnes, GDOT's Assistant State Maintenance Engineer in a news release. "Our number one goal is to treat the interstates and state routes and keep them safe and passable, especially for emergency vehicles."

This year’s winter season in Georgia is expected to have warmer-than-average temperatures and average precipitation according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Although predictions are for a mild winter, Georgia DOT is prepared should the forecast change anywhere in the state.

In preparation for winter weather, GDOT has the following equipment, materials and staff readily available:

• More than 1,900 employees on call
• Capacity to store 885,500 gallons of brine
• Ability to produce 50,000 gallons of brine per hour
• 71,286 tons of gravel
• 56 road weather sensors
• 386 snow removal units
• 80 F-250 pick-ups with plows and spreaders
• More than 53,000 tons of salt to cover almost 40,000 lane miles

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!

To encourage 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.