Georgia DOT Prepares for Helene Impacts in East-Central District
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TENNILLE, GA. -- The Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) is monitoring Hurricane Helene as it is expected to bring damaging winds, heavy rainfall and flooding statewide. Georgia DOT District 2 (east-central Georgia) is preparing to respond to the storm.
The district's entire maintenance workforce (256 employees) will be on call. We have equipment staged for three strike teams to quickly address high priority areas. Equipment is also staged at area offices throughout the district.
Georgia DOT crews do not perform cleanup and debris removal when sustained winds reach 40 mph. Based on the current forecast, District 2 crews are not scheduled to work Thursday night. Crews are scheduled to ride roads beginning Friday morning and clear routes as needed. Priority will be placed on interstates, then state routes with highest priority given to routes to hospitals and other essential public services.
We will continue monitoring the forecast throughout the day on Thursday and be prepared to adjust scheduling as needed.
Because wind could potentially knock down and damage traffic lights, district signal shop employees are creating new traffic signal heads to install as needed.
We are also fueling and testing generators. If power goes out, generators can be used to turn traffic lights on at high priority intersections throughout the district. Message boards and barrels are lined up and ready to be sent out as needed.
Safety is our top priority. We strongly encourage drivers to avoid non-essential travel during and after the storm when roads may still be impacted by debris and could be impassable. If you must travel and encounter a Georgia DOT vehicle or crew out on the road, please give them the space to accomplish their critically important tasks safely.
Please remember that when heavy rainfall occurs in a very short amount of time, water on roadways - even with storm drains that function well under normal rainfall - can rise temporarily similarly to creeks and rivers. Drivers should take caution and be prepared to turn around when encountering water in the roadway. Vehicles can get swept away by as little as twelve inches of moving water.
You can monitor real-time road conditions using the 511GA app.
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Call 511 to report flash flooding, downed trees or other obstructions that impede travel on roadways or bridges
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Do not drive around barricades that are in place for motorist safety or through standing water
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Residents should never clear tree limbs, downed trees or debris from roadways, live power lines could be tangled in debris and can cause injury or death; instead, wait for Georgia DOT and Georgia Power crews
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Motorists who must drive should always treat flashing red and non-operational signals as a four-way stop
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