Winter Storm Prep Has Begun in Northeast Georgia Region

Brine application has already started on many of the priority routes in North Georgia. District One Georgia DOT crews began pre-treating bridges and overpasses this morning at 10 a.m. in advance of winter storm Inga, said GDOT spokesperson Katie Strickland late this afternoon.

A winter weather advisory is in effect from 10p this evening until noon Wednesday for all of Northeast Georgia, including Stephens, Franklin, and Hart Counties, bringing snow mixed with sleet and freezing rain.

The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg warns motorists to be prepared Wednesday morning for slick roads and black ice; especially on bridges and overpasses.

The District’s most northern counties, Union, Towns, Rabun, White, and Lumpkin were the first to be treated earlier today.

Blood Mountain and Unicoi Gap were sprayed with the salt water solution as well as State Route 2/ US 76, and State Route 15/ US 441. Crews distributed 3500 gallons of the salt water in the most northern counties.

At noon brine application started in Gwinnett, Hall, Dawson, and Forsyth with trucks spraying Interstate 985, State Route 316, Interstate 85 and State Route 400.

Nearly 70,000 gallons of brine will have been placed on our routes in Northeast Georgia preemptively.

“We expect to experience the leading edge of the wintry mix/snow in our far northwestern counties as the system then moves southeasterly through our District. Our forces started pre-treating bridges and overpasses ahead of it on a 12 hour shift schedule,” District Maintenance Engineer Rob Mabry said.

Mabry said GDOT maintenance crews will begin shifts tonight at 7p.m.