VDOT News - Fredericksburg

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Travel is not advised in the Fredericksburg area and western portions of the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula as Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews focus on plowing and treating Interstate 95 and other critical main routes.

I-95 is in minor condition, with bare pavement visible and several travel lanes open, but with isolated areas of snow coverage.

Primary roads are in minor to moderate condition in the Fredericksburg area and western Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula.

Subdivision streets and lower-volume secondary roads are in moderate to severe condition, with partial to full snow coverage across travel lanes.

VDOT crews focus their efforts first on clearing and treating roads that carry the most traffic. Leading priorities for snow removal include I-95, primary roads, and secondary roads that carry heavy traffic, or connect with critical public safety and emergency services. Once conditions improve on priority routes, crews can focus next on subdivision streets and lower-volume secondary roads.

VDOT crews will continue to work around the clock until all state-maintained roads are safe for travel, with up to 1,200 pieces of equipment available in Fredericksburg District.

Additional Winter Storm Information

• Check road conditions before starting a trip: Call 511, visit www.511virginia.org or download the free 511Virginia mobile app to see real-time road conditions around the state, and view traffic cameras.
• Snowplow status updates: VDOT Fredericksburg District has activated its online snow plow tracker map at vdotplows.org. All VDOT-owned and contracted plows are equipped with Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL), allowing them to be monitored on the snowplow tracker.
• Street parking: Residents can help by parking vehicles in driveways or as far onto the road shoulder as they can. This provides the most space for snowplows to completely remove snow from the travel lanes on passes through a neighborhood.
• Once it is safe to travel, clean snow and ice from your vehicle before starting a trip. This will improve your visibility of the road ahead, and it will prevent snow and ice from becoming a flying debris hazard for other travelers.
• Give VDOT crews space to work. Keep a safe distance of at least five seconds behind trucks and other equipment that are plowing or treating the road. Do not pass a snowplow or spreader.
• Remember to move over and slow down for stopped vehicles with flashing, blinking or alternating blue, red or amber lights.
• Shoveling a driveway? Remember to shovel to the right while facing the street. This will reduce the amount of double work that may be required after a snowplow makes a pass along your street. Watch a VDOT video explaining how to avoid having snow pushed back into the end of your driveway.

Road Condition Definitions

During winter storms, road conditions are present on 511Virginia using three ratings: minor, moderate and severe. These terms are defined as the following:

Minor: Potential for patches of ice and snow on roadway; Passable with caution.

Moderate: Snow or ice is covering major portions of the roadway; Passable with caution.

Severe: A significant accumulation of snow or ice is blocking the roadway; Conditions are hazardous.

VDOT Customer Service Center

VDOT’s Customer Service Center is open 24 hours a day to answer questions and take reports of roadway hazards. Call 1-800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623) or contact us online at https://my.vdot.virginia.gov.

Social Media

Follow VDOT on Twitter at @VaDOT and VDOT Fredericksburg District at @VaDOTFRED.

On Facebook, visit VDOT’s statewide page or join the VDOT Fredericksburg District group.

Merry Point and Sunnybank Ferries

The Merry Point Ferry and Sunnybank Ferry in the Northern Neck do not operate on Sunday. For real-time updates on ferry service this week, check 511Virginia.

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VDOT’s 14-county Fredericksburg District includes the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford in the Fredericksburg area; Northumberland, Richmond, Lancaster and Westmoreland counties in the Northern Neck; Essex, Gloucester, King & Queen, King William, Mathews and Middlesex counties in the Middle Peninsula.

Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.