DOT coffers take another hit

GAINESVILLE - This winter's unusual weather continues to burn a hole in the state Department of Transportation's pocketbook... and the Gainesville district DOT office accounts for a lot of the expenses.

Spokeswoman Teri Pope tells Fox 5 "we've spent $1.1 million battling snow and ice just in this northeast Georgia district alone. That is more than twice of any of the last six years."

The area covered by the Gainesville DOT District Office is usually hit hardest when we have winter storms. This winter the region it covers, which includes the highest elevations in the state, has been hit by at least six snow/ice events, far more than normal.

Our records show the first occurred Jan. 7-8, the second Jan. 28-29, the third Feb. 6-7, the fourth Feb. 9; the fifth Feb. 12, and the sixth, yesterday, Mar. 2. While not all were major events, they did produce enough snow and ice to cause DOT to have to institute its road-clearing plan.

(Georgia News Network contributed to this story.)