Georgia Department of Transportation prepares for Debby

Georgia Department of Transportation

Approximately 300 Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) employees stand ready to respond to Tropical Storm Debby in Southwest Georgia and employees from other areas of the state not expected to be impacted by the storm are prepared to assist, if needed.

Georgia DOT offices statewide are monitoring Tropical Storm Debby as it is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane, bringing with it a prolonged rainfall and flooding event in South Central and Southeast Georgia beginning Monday morning. Gov. Brian P. Kemp has issued a state of emergency for all 159 Georgia counties in anticipation of the storm. Although the heaviest rainfall is expected to occur in the Southeast area of the state, most of the counties in the 31-county Southwest district are, or will be, under weather warnings or watches.

Georgia DOT teams have equipment loaded and crews are on alert, including immediate-response strike teams ready to respond to the historic rainfall event and expected flooding in Southern and Southeastern Georgia this week. Motorists can expect detours and road closures as the department responds to the anticipated impacts of the storm.

The National Hurricane Center forecasts rainfall totals in Southeast Georgia, particularly within 50 miles of Savannah, could be as much as 20 inches which is highly unusual for the area. Additionally, there exists a high probability of strong winds and flash, urban and river flooding. For the safety of the department’s employees, Georgia DOT crews monitor weather conditions at all times and will stop cleanup and debris removal from interstates and state routes when sustained winds reach 40 mph. Work will resume once sustained wind speeds die down. Priority will be placed on interstates, then state routes with highest priority given to routes to hospitals and other essential public services.

Georgia DOT is preparing on a statewide level in partnership with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, the National Weather Service and state and local officials. The traveling public’s safety is a top priority as department readies for this major weather event and advises motorists to avoid non-essential travel, particularly following 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 roadways, please give them the space to accomplish their critically important tasks safely.

Motorists are reminded to remain cognizant of standing or rushing water and to respond appropriately to road conditions that could change quickly. 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. Motorists 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. Motorists should not attempt to drive through water if they can’t see the roadway.

Hurricane Safety Tips
As we prepare for Hurricane Debby to move through Georgia, motorists are reminded to be cautious of strong winds, flooding, downed power lines and the potential for falling trees. Avoid non-essential travel as much as possible and monitor real-time road conditions using the 511GA app.
– Call 511 to report flash flooding, downed trees or other obstructions that impede travel on roadways or bridges
– Do not drive around barricades that are in place for motorist safety or through standing water
– 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
– Motorists who must drive should always treat flashing red and non-operational signals as a four-way stop. This means that vehicles should proceed through the intersection in a “first to arrive, first to proceed order.” If two vehicles reach the intersection at approximately the same time, yield to any vehicles on your right.

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