The Georgia Department of Transportation is preparing for trouble as Hurricane Florence bears down on the East Coast.

Spokeswoman Natalie Dale said GDOT has increased the number of responding CHAMP operators on I-20, I-95 and I-16 in anticipation of increased traffic as residents of South Carolina prepare to evacuate. The CHAMP units provide highway assistance, clear debris and help at accident scenes. To call for road assistance in Georgia, call 511.

The latest forecast shows Florence making landfall in the Carolinas on Thursday or Friday. But Dale said the department is prepared to take additional action if the hurricane takes a turn toward Georgia. That could include converting I-16 to westbound-only traffic to aid evacuation of coastal areas.

GDOT has some recent experience with hurricanes. A year ago, Hurricane Irma led the agency to reverse traffic on I-16 and on the I-75 South Metro Express Lanes south of Atlanta as the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people from Florida snarled traffic.

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8/26/17 - Atlanta, GA - Georgia leaders, including Gov. Nathan Deal, Sandra Deal, members of the King family, and Rep. Calvin Smyre,  were on hand for unveiling of the first statue of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday at the statehouse grounds, more than three years after Gov. Nathan Deal first announced the project.  During the hour-long ceremony leading to the unveiling of the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at the state Capitol on Monday, many speakers, including Gov. Nathan Deal, spoke of King's biography. The statue was unveiled on the anniversary of King's famed "I Have Dream" speech. BOB ANDRES  /BANDRES@AJC.COM

Credit: Bob Andres