A look at Richmond County’s safety plan ahead of Masters
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - This week, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is on high alert as we’re just days away from Masters week.
It’s only a matter of time before thousands of patrons take on Augusta’s busiest areas.
We’re talking about Washington Road, Riverwatch Parkway and downtown Augusta.
The Georgia Department of Transportation has stopped all construction on major interstates and highways to reduce traffic pile-ups.
On Tuesday, we heard from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office on safety plans.
Augusta reveals traffic plans for Masters Tournament
On Wednesday, the city unveiled the traffic plan for tournament week.
Getting more deputies on roads like Washington Road and Riverwatch Parkway is key. The sheriff’s office says they’ll have just about every local Georgia agency here to help them.
Because ensuring safety for everyone is not just any priority, it’s a must.
As visitors start pouring in, the focus isn’t just on the main event, it’s on keeping everyone safe.
captain danny whitehead, richmond county sheriff’s office
“We actually start planning in the summertime, because we know obviously this is one of the largest sporting events in the world,” said Captain Danny Whitehead with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office says you can expect to see an additional 30% to 40% increase in manpower on roads like Washington Road, Riverwatch Parkway and I-20.
" I’m not gonna sit here and tell you that it’s perfect, but I will tell you it’s gotten better every single year,” said Whitehead. “We’ve seen that, and we can tell by the parking lots when they get full. We can tell at the end of end of around the parking lots, people leaving, how fast we’re able to clear the parking lots, the traffic that’s moving on the roadway.”
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Safety at all times during the week is the top priority.
“We’re using more technology than we have in the past,” said Whitehead. “I don’t want to get too in detail, but we’ve definitely, over the years, gotten better as technology has advanced for law enforcement, and we will be utilizing different things to help keep the property secure and also the surrounding area secure.”
The end goal is making sure everyone gets through the week without trouble.
“It’s a long week,” said Whitehead. “It’s long hours, but where else would you rather spend those long hours than have an opportunity to be out there and see all the patrons from all over the world.”
For the sheriff’s office, golf week is one they cannot prepare enough for.
For traffic, especially, they are working with Augusta Traffic Engineering to make sure that flows are as smooth as possible.
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