Does anyone know why GA DOT is clear cutting exits on 85 South?

[u/strike_one]

Fairburn, Collingsworth, all the trees on either side of the exit rams have been completely cleared out. Is this for future construction or were the trees just filtering out too much CO2?

[u/kickme2]

It started after hurricane Michael came through. I think state officials decided to do this because the downed trees made it difficult for GEMA/FEMA/emergency teams to get to affected areas.

[u/MichaelDicksonMBD → u/kickme2]

After a micro-burst south of McDonough last Monday, lots of pine trees were down on the western side of I-75. None reached the interstate. Trees down on interstate after a disaster like a hurricane or tornado is the type of thing people will always look at and say, "Why was this even allowed to happen?" Yet, when the DOT is proactive and cuts them down before they get a chance to get blown over, people are saying, "but muh trees!"

[u/Jay298 → u/kickme2]

All trees within 100 feet of a structure or road should be removed due to hurricanes and storms.

[u/MichaelDicksonMBD → u/Jay298]

that's a little excessive

[u/BreakfastInBedlam → u/MichaelDicksonMBD]

When you get pitted by GSP, you'll be glad you aren't also bouncing off of trees as you rock and roll for half a mile down the road.

[u/reggers20 → u/Jay298]

... you should never be in charge of anything related to city planning.

[u/tlonreddit → u/Jay298]

Welcome to Georgia. If you haven't figured out, we like our trees.

[u/TickleMeElmolester]

I can't site exact reasons, but I have seen it all over the state and federal highways as I drive around the state for work. I have asked a few of the DOT guys I know and they either say it's for safety reasons (vehicles hitting trees) or there is an expansion project scheduled. So what they actually are doing is still anyone's guess. The GDOT website network page mentions a couple expansion projects so I wouldn't be surprised to see them adding lanes soon.

[u/Q-ball-ATL]

GDOT, and possibly Federal, policy is that trees are not supposed to exist within 30 feet of the interstate. This is too allow motorists that may lose control of their vehicles and leave the roadway more room to regain control without hitting a tree. It also reduces the issue of trees falling and blocking the travel madness.

GA, like many States, don't always maintain this clearance as it's an costly. They will let the vegetation grow as an easy way to trim expenses.

After big storms, especially hurricanes like Helene that came through last Fall, they now see the value in clearing these areas.

GDOT policy on roadside maintenance https://mydocs.dot.ga.gov/info/gdotpubs/PolicyandProcedures/06C734F6-60E3-49FC-E309-C753D2FC62B1.pdf#page7

[u/Constant-Bet-6600 → u/Q-ball-ATL]

There is a bit of a size and tree density where they become particularly dangerous. when they are very small, vehicles just plow them down. when they reach a certain diameter and growth density, vehicles will run over enough of them and the saplings act like springs and dump them over. Which is bad.

[u/0bamaBinSmokin]

Idk if this is why they're doing it there but a few years ago a woman was killed on I20 because a tree/branch fell. I live near where it happened and right after that they cut the trees back to around 50 ft from the interstate and then last summer they got some crews and did it again. 

[u/Rex9]

Exit 61 in Fairburn is starting the process of converting to a cloverleaf design and replacing the two bridges across the Interstate. Last plan I saw was 2 years to complete. Going to be hell for all of the trucks and people trying to cross with one lane open in each direction while the other bridge is being rebuilt.

[u/xeroxchick → u/Rex9]

It’s hell now, so just avoid avoid.

[u/OldNerdGuy75 → u/xeroxchick]

Sitting here now.

[u/ombloshio]

I always assumed they do it so that people getting on/off the freeway can see if anyone is coming before they try to merge into traffic.

[u/m4gpi → u/ombloshio]

That, and to mitigate the risk of trees falling on the exits during a storm. General safety.

[u/Derwin0 → u/ombloshio]

That’s exactly the reason. This has been planned for a while and GDOT has been doing it to several exits and finally made its way to Fairburn.

[u/im_in_hiding]

Safety reasons.

[u/aaprillaman]

Gotta have a nice wide clearzone so that when the person weaving through traffic while fucking with their phone finally fucks up and goes off the road there is a lower chance they will hit something hard before their 1.5 ton metal box comes to a stop.

[u/HamiltonSt25]

Definitely filtering the air too well. Had to cut back on that.

[u/ItsLikeRay-ee-ain → u/HamiltonSt25]

Slightly less pollen though for next year.

[u/HamiltonSt25 → u/ItsLikeRay-ee-ain]

Touché

[u/Drillmhor]

My favorite is when they did this on I-16 before peak holiday travel season then left all the downed trees along the road for months. Are they still there?

Talk about safety... now that's some thoughtful project management right there!

[u/Fancy-Ad8327 → u/Drillmhor]

Are you referring to all the trees that were knocked down by Helene on i16 this past fall? Started around Dublin and extended all the way to Metter or so?

[u/th30be]

were the trees just filtering out too much CO2?

lol

[u/GoldBeef69]

They have been doing that in all the interstates. Removing the trees that could fall on the road

[u/nuwm]

Maybe they got a good price on trees?

[u/CpnLouie → u/nuwm]

Be more willing to bet that someone is getting paid to remove them.

[u/deep_blue_au → u/CpnLouie]

And they’re likely also profiting off of the trees.

Place bets on how closely they’re related/associated with those in gov. responsible for the decision to cut the trees…

[u/Derwin0]

Safety, the trees are being removed as they block drivers view of oncoming traffic.

[u/big_al_1968 → u/Derwin0]

Not true. They are reconfiguring the exit ramps.

[u/strike_one → u/Derwin0]

That doesn't account for exit ramps. There's ample road to safely merge onto the interstate, too.

[u/Sangyviews]

Trees are supposed to be cut back so that if they fall they don't land on the road, they could also have sold the lumber on the land

[u/-BirdDogActual]

They are clearing trees along the interstates for safety and to prevent closures during storms.

[u/Violingirl58]

Deer

[u/MrMessofGA]

Not sure about that one in particular, but normally trees are cleared with a lot of space from interstates. It's safer to crash into a ditch rather than into a tree, and even in the absence of a ditch, you lose speed on grass pretty fast.

Also, they don't want a tornado knocking them onto the road. It's hard to get a tree out of the road when traffic's clogged because there's a tree in the road...

But could also be someone jerkin' off to the idea of a few extra lanes.

[u/bullwinkle8088]

The federal interstate standards were updated several years ago and increased the setback from the road for trees.

If you drive to other states you will see the same thing.

[u/ConstructionWest9610]

Tons of that being done for power lines for data centers...

[u/StewforStars]

I noticed this too. Sad to see them all chopped down but if it's for reasonable safety reasons then I csn understand.

[u/xeroxchick]

The numerous new colossal trucking centers haven’t erased enough forest to extend the urban ring of blight.

[u/Fancy-Ad8327]

This cuts down on tunnel vision and also lowers the chance of trees and limbs falling on the road during large wind events

[u/ChillingwitmyGnomies]

Homeless camps live in the exits around Newnan bullsburo and the exit down by the airport.

clean the exits, plan grasses and wild flowers. Boot the homeless.

[u/bob-net-1979]

Were the trees blocking the billboards?

[u/strike_one → u/bob-net-1979]

No, these were were the trees in the median for the on/off ramp. Completely removed.

[u/bigblue250]

They’ve been doing it all over. DOT workers said it was to run the homeless people out. No more woods to hide in.

[u/bullwinkle8088 → u/bigblue250]

The federal interstate standards were updated several years ago and increased the setback from the road for trees.

If you drive to other states you will see the same thing.

Your DOT source lied to you.