Georgia Department of Transportation begins helping with storm recovery
GDOT will provide assistance in eight counties hit by high winds last week
From Staff Reports
TIFTON – Local Georgia Department of Transportation crews on Monday began providing equipment and manpower to help clear debris in areas that sustained damage during severe storms and tornadoes in Southwest Georgia last week.
Georgia DOT will provide assistance, if requested, in Baker, Calhoun, Dougherty, Early, Miller, Mitchell, Turner and Worth counties. Gov. Nathan Deal has declared a state of emergency in those counties. GDOT’s southwest district has crews working in Dougherty, Baker, Mitchell and Worth counties. No other requests for assistance had been received as of Monday through the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency.
The southwest district has assigned 43 employees to help clear debris from local rights of way and roads that are not on the state highway system. They will not be working on private or commercial properties. District Maintenance Engineer Stacy Aultman said employees will work seven days a week and will provide dump trucks, loaders and chainsaws.
“We’re very happy to help our local municipalities and counties recover from the recent storms that have hit this region. Our resources will be utilized to ensure the routes in our communities remain safe and open to the traveling public,” District Engineer Chad Hartley said.
Albany was particularly hard hit when severe storms and tornadoes slammed Southwest Georgia on Jan. 2-3. Many homes remained without power Monday due to the damage sustained, and shelters continue to house displaced residents. Deal will visit Albany Tuesday to get a close-up look at areas impacted by the storms.
Deal’s original State of Emergency declaration was issued Thursday for Calhoun, Mitchell, Baker and Dougherty counties. That executive order was to end at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday. On Friday, Deal added Turner and Worth counties. On Monday, the governor expanded the order to include Early and Miller counties and extended the time to 11:59 p.m. Jan. 18.
Related Articles
Adult leadership group spreads concept to high school students
“The purpose of Albany Junior Leaders is to pull together leaders from all over the community. We wanted to give these youth the same experience and the same exposure we’re getting in Leadership Albany.”
Albany/Dougherty County among local governments looking at data centers
“Our understanding is that data center developments look like an easy fix for the problems that face rural America, but this is a Faustian deal at best. You can see the effects in communities across the state and country.
Dawson approves $68K excavator purchase after months of contradictory public statements
The decision concludes one portion of a controversy that has generated months of public scrutiny but leaves several unanswered questions regarding how the city’s original machine was damaged, whether employees were held accountable and what documentation supports the decision to replace rather than repair it.
