The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has announced that brine operations in District 2, which covers east-central Georgia, will begin earlier than previously scheduled. Crews will start applying brine on Friday, January 23 at 7 p.m.
According to GDOT, maintenance teams will treat Interstate 20, Interstate 520/Bobby Jones Expressway, and all state routes between State Route 540/The Fall Line Freeway and I-20 beginning Friday evening. A contractor for GDOT is set to begin treating all state routes north of I-20 at midnight from Friday into Saturday. In addition, GDOT crews will start treating Interstate 16 and all state routes between I-16 and SR 540 starting at 7 a.m. on Saturday.
Brine is a mixture of salt and water that helps reduce the chance of road surfaces freezing during certain weather conditions. The department noted that trucks must travel at a speed of 40 mph to apply the treatment effectively. Motorists are advised to be cautious around these vehicles and maintain a distance of at least 100 feet.
“Starting Friday night, crews will be staffed around the clock until the threat is over. All district maintenance personnel will work 12-hour shifts,” stated the Georgia Department of Transportation.
GDOT emphasized that plans could change depending on updated weather reports.
