Bridges, roads shut down due to ice

A GROWING LIST OF ICY BRIDGE CLOSURES TONIGHT. THE ISLANDS EXPRESSWAY IS CLOSED. AS WELL AS THE THUNDERBOLT AND LAZARETTO CREEK BRIDGES. WJCL 22 NEWS’ A-J SISSON IS LIVE FROM THE THUNDERBOLT BRIDGE NOW. AND A-J, THAT BRIDGE HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE ABOUT 9PM. AND WHEN I SPOKE TO THE CHATHAM EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER ABOUT THE CLOSURE … THEY SAID IT WAS A DECISION BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES … BECAUSE ICE FORMED … SOT “WE WILL SEE MORE ICE AND SNOW THAT MAY MAKE ROADS AND BRIDGES IMPASSABLE.” VO AND FOR THE THOUSANDS THAT USE THE THUNDERBOLT BRIDGE … THAT ICE AND SNOW HAS MADE IT IMPASSABLE … ESPECIALLY TO THUNDERBOLT POLICE …. SOT <CAPTAIN BRANDON RUNYON, THUNDERBOLT POLICE DEPARTMENT> “VERY VERY SLICK. I DID IT BACK IN 2018, I’M FROM UP NORTH, HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, GOING MAYBE WELL FIVE EIGHT MILES AN HOUR.” SOT <CATHERINE GLASBY, CHATHAM COUNTY PIO> “REMEMBER THE BRIDGES WILL ICE FIRST, SO THEY ARE VERY VULNERABLE. GDOT HAS COME THROUGH WITH IN A LOT OF BRIDGES THEY HAVE BRINED, BUT WE WILL STILL SEE SOME CLOSURES.” SOT “HOW LONG BEFORE YOU EXPECT THE BRIDGE TO REOPEN?” -AJ SISSON <RUNYON> “WE’RE WAITING ON GDOT TO COME OUT AND RESALT IT, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY TIL THE MORNING.” VO DURING WJCL 22’S WINTER STORM PREPS … GEORGIA’S DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SAID THEY DO NOT PLAN ON CLOSING BRIDGES … HOWEVER LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES CAN MAKE THOSE DECISIONS SOT <GLASBY> “OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT MONITORS OUR ROADS AND BRIDGES. IF THEY FEEL THAT THEY ARE UNSAFE FOR TRAVEL DUE TO THE CONDITIONTS, THEY WILL CLOSE THEM UNTIL THOSE CONDITIONS IMPROVE.” VO AND WITH ACCIDENTS HAPPENING IN SAVANNAH … AS EARLY AS THE SUN CAME DOWN … IT’S BEST TO AVOID DRIVING IF POSSIBLE SOT <RUNYON> “IF I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY I WOULDN’T BE DRINVING IN IT RIGHT NOW BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT’S MY JOB … IT’S ABOUT YOU KNOW STAYING OFF THE ROAD, AND IT’S NOT ONLY ABOUT THE SAFETY OF YOU, BUT THE SAFETY OF OTHERS, IF YOU GET IN A WRECK, YOU MAY HURT SOMEONE ELSE AS WELL.” – *AD LIB ABOUT DRIVING SAFELY* IN SAV … AJS … W2