VDOT News - Hampton Roads

SUFFOLK—Snow is now falling across much of  Hampton Roads, meaning motorists must stay inside – the safest place to be during a storm. By delaying or avoiding travel altogether, motorists can stay safe while also providing Virginia Department of Transportation crews the space to work safely and efficiently. 

Snow and freezing temperatures are expected to continue tonight and into Saturday morning, resulting in the potential refreezing of roadways and icy conditions. Crews have been working around-the-clock since Wednesday pretreating the interstates and state-maintained primary roads leading up to and during the snowfall that began this afternoon. Crews are staffed through the weekend and will continue to monitor and treat the roadways with salt to break down ice and apply sand in critical spots to enhance traction for vehicles. 

Motorists must not travel until conditions improve and roads are passable. 

Nearly 300 trucks equipped with plows and spreaders are actively engaged in addressing the storm across the district. All VDOT-owned and contracted plows are equipped with Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL), allowing them to be monitored on the snowplow tracker. Crews have begun plowing and clearing state-maintained roads where accumulation exceeds approximately 2 inches.

With the possibility of high winds in addition to snow accumulation, crews are also standing by to assist with downed trees, branches and debris that may fall across the roads. Avoid areas with downed power lines and trees. Report any debris or unpassable roads to VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center by calling 800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623).

Reminders:

• Stay home. Avoid all nonessential travel.
• Give crews time and space to treat roads, with extra caution in work zones. 
• If snow or ice is on the road, conditions are hazardous.
• Call 911 if you have an emergency.
• Visit www.511Virginia.org for the latest road conditions. Do not travel until precipitation stops and road conditions improve. 
• For more information on winter weather travel, visit https://www.virginiadot.org/travel/snow.asp. 

Resources:

• Free 511 Virginia Tools -- Get the latest traffic conditions before traveling by calling 511, or go to www.511virginia.org. You also can download Virginia’s free 511 mobile app at https://www.virginiadot.org/travel/511.asp#app. 

• 800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623) -- Report road hazards or ask road-related questions at VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center by calling this statewide toll-free number.

• Twitter -- Follow us @VaDOTHR and @511hamptonroads for the latest traffic updates during a storm.

• WAZE – VDOT recently partnered with Waze to add a new feature to the navigation software app that allows users to report, in real-time during winter weather, when a road has not been plowed. It will also inform travelers when they are approaching a road that has been identified by other drivers as unplowed.

For more winter driving information, please visit virginiadot.org/travel/snow.asp.

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.