It’s springtime in Georgia and summer is around the corner. It is a time when we welcome visitors to our great state, and we start thinking about hitting the roads with family and friends for fun and vacations. For the Georgia Department of Transportation, this also means it’s time for road work. GDOT forecasts one of the busiest construction seasons that Georgia has seen in a long time, and we want you to know what work we’ve scheduled, so you can plan ahead.

GDOT will be moving full-speed ahead on short-term maintenance projects like resurfacing roads, sealing roadway cracks, replacing stripes and reflectors, upgrading signs and tackling overgrown vegetation in an effort to take better care of Georgia’s roadways. We will also continue with many long-term projects, such as work along Interstate 75 in Cobb, Cherokee, Clayton and Henry counties.

This summer, there will be more than 470 active construction and maintenance projects along interstates, state routes and major arteries across Georgia. Summer construction and maintenance activities will ultimately save taxpayers millions of dollars, providing better infrastructure conditions that will cause less wear and tear on vehicles. We certainly will do our part to limit impacts, and we understand the frustration of traffic delays. That’s why we want to help motorists plan ahead.

So plan ahead and be patient. Download the 511 Georgia app, visit www.511ga.org, or call 511 for information about statewide road conditions. Motorists should expect delays and, therefore, plan ahead before hitting the road.

Obey the rules in work zones. Pay attention, slow down and watch for workers. Work zones are not always stationary, but can include mobile activities such as litter pickup, mowing, sweeping and drainage work. Allow extra distance between vehicles, read signs, obey road-crew flaggers and expect the unexpected. Your safety and our workers’ safety are critical, so please don’t be distracted while driving. It can prove fatal.

Drive alert and arrive alive: Be safe. Always, always wear your seat belt. Buckle up before you go. Do not drive distracted and do not drive impaired.

Please pardon our progress while your dollars are working to build a better Georgia. Be safe out there!