VDOT News - Hampton Roads

SUFFOLK—As winter weather again approaches the region, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Hampton Roads District has begun pretreating state-maintained interstate and primary roads in advance of the storm.

As early as Sunday, the Hampton Roads region could experience at- or below-freezing temperatures with rain, sleet or wintery mix of precipitation. Motorists should limit non-essential travel within the district and statewide, and continue to monitor changing weather and road conditions throughout the duration of the inclement weather.

Drivers are urged to stay alert for slow-moving, mobile operations today, giving extra space around any trucks or equipment you encounter on the roads. Slower travel speeds are required to apply the brine onto the road and to ensure an adequate amount is absorbed in the pavement.

Additional equipment loaded with plows and spreaders stands ready to address varying road conditions that may present throughout the length of the storm. Continued treatment operations will include spreading of sand and salt, as needed, on icy patches or slick spots to improve traction.

VDOT will continue to monitor road surfaces as temperatures and conditions change throughout the weekend.

As the storm arrives, crews will work to clear and treat the interstate and state-maintained roadways as needed. VDOT maintains all interstates, major state-maintained primary routes, and county roads in Hampton Roads. Individual municipalities maintain their own primary and secondary routes.

Additional winter weather preparations across the state are underway for interstates and state-maintained roads. District-specific travel alerts and storm information can be found at https://www.virginiadot.org/newsroom/news_from_vdot.asp.

If travel is necessary:

• Visit 511Virginia.org for the latest road conditions before traveling. If possible, avoid travel until precipitation stops and road conditions improve.
• Give crews time and space to treat roads.
• If you must travel during adverse weather conditions:
• Allow plenty of time to reach your destination
• Keep a safe distance of at least five seconds behind the vehicle ahead of you
• Brake very lightly to keep your tires from slipping on pavement
• Once temperatures fall near freezing, assume any wet pavement is ice.
• Keep an emergency winter weather kit in your vehicle which includes food, water, first aid materials, tools and blankets in the event of a breakdown or stoppage.

Resources:

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