For Immediate Release:
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Contact:
Nita Birmingham
District Communications
229.326.5435
Southwest Georgia
GDOT Responding to Trees, Debris on State Routes
TIFTON – Local Georgia Department of Transportation maintenance employees have been responding as needed to felled trees and other debris blocking state routes.
Reports began coming into the Transportation Management Center on Saturday night, but picked up significantly early Sunday morning and throughout the afternoon as severe storms and tornadoes once again slammed southwest Georgia.
Many state routes remain impassable due to storm debris. In southwest Georgia, major routes that are blocked at this time are:
U.S. 280/SR 30 at milepost (MP) 16 in Wilcox County
U.S. 19/SR 3 at MP 5.98 in Dougherty County
U.S. 542/SR 7 between MP 11 and 12 in Turner County
SR 91 at the Dougherty/Baker County line
SR 133 at Mock Road, Dougherty County
At this time GDOT is responding only to debris on state routes. Local maintenance crews are being organized to respond to requests that are expected to come from local governments. Gov. Nathan Deal earlier Sunday issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in Atkinson, Berrien, Brooks, Colquitt, Cook, Lowndes and Thomas counties. Once the state of emergency has been declared, GDOT crews can assist with debris removal on local roads (those that are not on the state highway system) and rights of way. Local governments submit requests through the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency.
This is the second time this month that severe storms and tornadoes have left behind severe damage in southwest Georgia. Southwest Georgia DOT maintenance employees are still in the process of helping Albany clear local roads after severe storms moved through the area Jan. 2 and 3.
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