For Immediate Release Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Contact: Nita Birmingham 229.326.5435  

GDOT makes state routes safe, focuses on local roads

TIFTON – Georgia Department of Transportation forces have made state routes safe to travel in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael and are answering the call from local government officials who need help clearing their roads.

"This does not mean we're done with state routes," SW Georgia District Engineer Ritchie Swindell cautioned. "There is still plenty of work left to do. We've got thousands of cubic yards of debris on our rights of way. The debris will be hauled off in time but there is a more immediate need to assist local governments." The 31 counties in the Southwest Georgia DOT district are included in the governor's state of emergency declaration, which has been extended to Nov. 6. Georgia DOT may assist local governments as long as the declaration is in effect. Requests for resources should be submitted through the local Emergency Management Agency. So far the Tifton district office has received requests from seven counties for manpower and/or equipment and supplies such as loaders, signs and barricades. Most requests are from counties in the southwest corner of the state, where the hurricane crossed in Georgia. Albany and Cordele have also received help with signal repair on local roads. Georgia DOT strike crews from across the state and Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Department of Corrections and Georgia Search and Rescue teams continue to assist in Southwest Georgia. In other post-Hurricane Michael road news:

• SR 37 near Suttons Corner in Clay County is down to one lane. A washout on the shoulder of the road has worsened and will require rebuilding. There is no estimated date for completion.

• SR 45 in Colquitt, the square, remains closed. Georgia DOT forces had the square clear of debris Monday, but the area is being used for the distribution of food and supplies. SR 93 at SR 3 in Pelham also remains closed due to utilities that are down.

• The Southwest District sign shop, with the help of multiple crews from across the state, is replacing and/or realigning and straightening critical "red" signs – stop, do not enter and one way. District Sign Shop Manager Cedrick Robinson estimates 1,500 signs at the minimum will need to be replaced or repaired with those in the southwest corner of the state sustaining the heaviest damage. Other Georgia DOT districts have also shared inventory, sending a total of two truck loads of replacement signs.
• Ten to 12 state route intersections remain on generators because there is no power running to the traffic signals. District Signal Manager Brent Lupo estimates there are eight locations where other signals/beacons that are post-mounted need to be replaced.