Five Years of Resiliency: Georgia DOT More Prepared Than Ever Entering 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season

The Georgia Department of Transportation’s (Georgia DOT) State Mainte- nance Ovce has spent the last five years adapting to lessons learned and fine tun ing the department’s weather response capabilities to optimize response rates and

evciencies. As Georgia en ters the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season – lasting from June 1 through November 30 – Georgia DOT is better prepared for this season than any before with new enhancements including equipment improvements, technology upgrades, standardization of response plans and additional personnel contracted to aide with cleanup.

"Over the last five years, after each weather or emergency event, Georgia DOT conducted after action reviews to address key takeaways, identify gaps in operations and brainstorm best practices for moving forward,” said Larry Barnes, Georgia DOT’s assistant state maintenance engineer – emergency operations. "This euort has allowed us

to continue to build up resources and develop more

euective weather and emer gency response plans to ensure that we are able to clear roads and restore mobility to Georgians as evciently

and safely as possible.”

Georgia DOT has amped up resources for hurricane

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response across the state

including the below euorts:

Each of Georgia DOT’s seven districts has Chainsaw and Emergency Response trailers stocked and ready to go for debris operations.

Secured a hurricane gate maintenance contract for continued maintenance on all gates throughout the state to ensure they are ready for contraflow operations, if

needed.

The WebEOC system, used by emergency operation centers, received a major upgrade allowing for improved incident management, resource tracking and mapping capabilities.

Debris contractors have been secured to work on state route and interstate clean up post disaster, allowing Georgia DOT forces

to work more evciently and to provide ou-system assis tance to counties and local municipalities who request it.

Improved communications through Sonims, which provide for in-field

teams to communicate statewide with each other and other agencies supporting in disaster recovery. Sonims can also track where crews have been working resulting in more evcient clean up.

The Hurricane Response Plan has been updated to

reflect the most recent op erational improvements and standardizations of statewide response. Increased the number of message boards, barrels and cones in 2020.

Applied for grants to add additional generators to maintenance shops, area of- fices, emergency operation

centers and new facilities, as well as additional portable generators designated for critical intersections.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this year’s hurricane season is expected to be above average with an anticipated 13-20 named storms, 6-10 hurricanes and 3-5 major (category 3 or greater) hurricanes predicted.

Georgia has hurricane evacuation routes from Alabama, Florida, and coastal Georgia. Utilizing travc

control systems, radios, cameras, signage, websites and reversible interstate lanes, Georgia DOT implements several emergency plans for increased travc

headed inland during a mandatory evacuation. Shoulder lanes are for emergency personnel use only and should not be used as travel lanes.

Motorists are encouraged to visit or call 511 for free real-time travel information on road conditions and closures in their area.

For additional hurricane season safety tips and information on how you can prepare, please view Georgia DOT’s website.