Atlanta braces for winter storm, urges residents to stay off roads

ATLANTA - The City of Atlanta is taking no chances as it prepares for an incoming winter storm expected to hit the area on Friday. Mayor Andre Dickens and other city officials have launched an extensive pre-treatment effort for roads and opened warming centers for the unhoused population.

"We are prepared for what may come. In preparation for that, earlier today, these crews have been out preparing the roads," Dickens said.

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Atlanta Department of Transportation crews began work as early as 1 a.m. on Wednesday, applying brine to major roads. "We started early this morning about 1 a.m. We started our pretreatment operation which uses brine," said one official.

The city’s preparation includes deploying 50 pieces of equipment and coordinating 200 ATLDOT employees who will work 12-hour shifts to address hazardous conditions. Over the next few days, crews plan to distribute 20,000 gallons of brine and 5,500 tons of salt across Atlanta’s roadways and bridges.

Transportation Commissioner Solomon Caviness stressed the importance of residents staying off the roads. "If you don’t have to be on the road, stay home. We want to make sure our crews have what they need—space they need to get the material out on the road," Caviness said.

Atlanta’s proactive measures are rooted in the lessons learned from the infamous January snowstorm of 11 years ago, which caught the city by surprise and left thousands of people stranded in their cars with no way to get home. "It’s a scenario city officials never want to happen again," said Dickens.

The city has also turned its attention to protecting its most vulnerable residents. Warming centers have been opened, and transportation is being provided to unhoused individuals to ensure they have a safe place during the storm.

"We have been working with Fulton County to provide transportation for our homeless individuals, and so we are making stops at certain locations, like Woodruff Park, where we know our homeless gather, and try to convince them to come to our warming centers," said Chief Operating Officer LaChandra Burks.

Residents experiencing issues such as power outages or fallen trees are urged to call 311 for assistance.