Pending storm closes course

A thunderstorm cut Monday’s practice rounds short and resulted in a mass exodus from the Augusta National, complicating traffic plansand creating confusion for patrons hoping for news of a reopening.

Steve Cassell, a former Richmond County traffic engineer who is assisting this week, said they found many patrons were circling theWashington Road area, possibly in hopes it would reopen. It did reopen, but only for about 30 minutes, when a shot of sun came outfollowing the initial closure at noon.

Augusta traffic engineers and Richmond County sheriff’s deputies began the first day of the Masters with the knowledge that theweather could affect their normal plan. Around 11:30 a.m. they began preparing for a noon closure and large-scale departures fromthe course, but the rain threat had been on their minds all morning.

Traffic engineers said they were surprised this morning to see the heaviest traffic earlier than normal. They speculated it was becausepeople were coming earlier due to the increased chances of rain in the afternoon. Normally the Washington Road exit on eastboundInterstate 20 closes at 7:30 a.m. each day during Masters Week, but this morning traffic engineers shut it down about 7 a.m. “for safetyissues” due to the traffic congestion.

The rain threat was a topic for concern throughout the morning at the traffic engineers’ makeshift office at Westside High School. Anyheavy rain could result in the course closing and hundreds of guests leaving at once. Cassell said pedestrians are sometimes frantic toget to their vehicles when heavy rain starts, which complicates not only trafficbut pedestrian safety . Richmond County sheriff’sdeputies, who are posted at major intersections around the course, are tasked with keeping pedestrians calm and directed in the eventof a storm.

As a precaution, engineers set up their evening traffic operation earlier than normal Monday. When the rain began, engineers usedtheir normal evening plan, such as one-way traffic on Berckmans Road, to assist departures . Background traffic, however, made thewhole operation difficult, Cassell said.

“There are a lot of variables we had to address on the fly,” he said.

It’s a story that may repeat itself later in the week.

According to the National Weather Service, there is another chance for showers and thunderstorms throughout the day and evening onWednesday. Meteorologists predict daytime rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches with another half to three-quarters of an inch thatevening. The chances extend into Thursday with a chance of showers before 9 a.m. The remainder of the week should be sunny, butmaybe a little cooler than normal. The temperature is expected to drop into the 40s Thursday through Saturday nights. Highs Friday andSaturday will be in the mid- to upper- 60s. The last day of the tournament on Sunday should be closer to normal high, at an expected76 degrees.

Other than the rain factor, things moved rather smoothly Monday morning. The engineers used traffic cameras placed in heavilytraveled areas along Washington and Wheeler roads, Calhoun Expressway, Alexander Drive, Interstate 20 and River Watch Parkway tomonitor traffic and ensure there were no lengthy stalls. Periodically, they would instruct deputies on the scene to close Alexander Driveto keep traffic flowing.

Others in the makeshift traffic control office would remotely adjust changeable message boards to direct traffic or warn motorists aboutslowed or stopping traffic on Intestate 20.

The Georgia Department of Transportation’s HERO and CHAMP trucks were also in the area to alert drivers about traffic changes andassist in some traffic issues, like minor traffic collisions or stalled vehicles, that could disrupt traffic.