Downed Trees Hampering GDOT Efforts to Clear Roads

Roads in Northeast Georgia continued to be hampered by icy conditions and downed trees.

Crews with the Georgia Department of Transportation have been working all night to spread a salt mixture on the state routes and Interstates, but according to spokesperson Teri Pope, efforts are being hampered by downed trees.

The worst of it, she said has been in Dawson and Lumpkin counties were continued falling trees have actually trapped crews.

Dawson and Lumpkin counties have been the worst,” she said. “We have actually have crews trapped.  As they have been working to clear trees from the roads, more trees would fall behind them.

One of the worst areas, as we told you, has been hampered near the Banks/Franklin County line where Pope said over 100 trees succumbed to the heavy ice and fell into the roadway.

And as you’ve been hearing, Pope advises you to just stay home this morning until the ice begins to melt and crews have a chance to clear trees and spread more of that brine mixture on the roadways.

“If you do not have to be out, please stay where you are at least until the sun comes up so we can see what we’re dealing with,” she said. “We literally have hundreds of trees down in Northeast Georgia today and that has been our biggest problem. But we also have patches of black ice in Stephens and Franklin Counties. So please stay home at least until later.”

And as always, stay with 92.1 for the latest on weather and road conditions and any closings or delays.