(Gainesville)- As Helene continues its exit from Georgia and winds begin to die down, Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) crews are out assessing the damage and impacts to the state’s transportation infrastructure caused by flooding, downed trees, and damaged power lines.
Crews in District One, which covers 21 counties in Northeast Georgia, were out during the night and this morning patrolling state routes and handling issues as they were reported. District One crew members are assisting with cleanup efforts, checking storm drains, and dealing with any other problems. District One will send additional teams to help in other areas of the state that were hit harder than Northeast Georgia as needed.
Georgia DOT asks for the public’s patience as we work in partnership with federal, state, and local officials to assess the damage and begin cleanup efforts statewide. The traveling public’s safety is a top priority as the department moves into damage assessment and clean-up mode and advises motorists to avoid non-essential travel, particularly now when roads may be impacted and could be impassable.
With widespread power outages, if a signalized intersection has no power motorists are reminded to treat that intersection as a four-way stop. When a road closure is in place, the public is also reminded that there is a potentially life-threatening reason for the closure which might include high water or downed power lines, and for their safety motorists should not drive around barricades or cones.
