VDOT News - Richmond

SOUTH CHESTERFIELD, Va. – Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Richmond District crews continue their work to address icy conditions on state-maintained routes. Friday night and Saturday morning, roads were continuously treated with salt to melt icy patches and sand to improve traction for vehicles. Although pavement may be bare in many areas, conditions could be dangerous until temperatures rise and roads dry.

“We are still urging drivers to stay home today,” said Sean Nelson, Richmond District Maintenance Engineer. “Conditions may look favorable, but ice can be invisible at times and our crews need time and space to address slick roads. We appreciate everyone’s patience during this longer duration storm.”

In addition to slick road conditions, ice can weigh down heavy tree limbs and power lines, causing them to fall into travel lanes and could also lead to power outages. VDOT has tree crews on the lookout for debris, and Dominion Energy crews are responding to outages as safely and quickly as possible.

“We share VDOT’s commitment to safety and appreciate their work to keep roads safe in our communities,” said Charlene Whitfield, senior vice president of power delivery, Dominion Energy. “We will work around the clock until all of our customers have their power restored. The work that VDOT does to clear roads helps our crews be at our best when our customers need us most.”

Conditions can change rapidly with even slight variations in air temperatures. Staying home and off the roads is the safest option until conditions improve.

Report icy conditions by calling 800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623) or visiting https://my.vdot.virginia.gov/. Check for the latest road conditions near you by visiting http://www.511virginia.org/ or the free 511 mobile app. Cities and towns provide their own road maintenance, and Henrico County maintains its own secondary system (routes numbered 600+).

To ensure the fastest response to power outages, Dominion Energy customers should use the free Dominion Energy mobile app, report online at www.dominionenergy.com, or call 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357). Safety is a top priority, and customers should take note of these important safety tips before and during the storm:

• Beware of downed power lines and remember that they could be covered by snow. Assume they are energized and dangerous. Keep family members, neighbors and pets a minimum of 30 feet away and report them right away at 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357). Choose the option to report a downed wire.
• If using a generator, be sure it is fueled, tested, and properly connected before the severe weather arrives. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and always operate outdoors with good ventilation. Improper use of a generator could be life-threatening for customers and for line crews working to restore power.

-END-

VDOT’s Richmond District oversees snow removal activities on approximately 19,000 lane miles of roads in 14 counties in central Virginia: Amelia, Brunswick, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico (primary routes only), Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, New Kent, Nottoway, Powhatan and Prince George counties. Henrico County provides snow removal for their secondary roads (numbered 600 and above) and subdivision streets. Cities that provide their own snow removal include Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg and Richmond, and the towns of Ashland, Blackstone, Chase City and South Hill.

About Dominion Energy
More than 7 million customers in 16 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is committed to sustainable, reliable, affordable and safe energy and to achieving net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions from its power generation and gas infrastructure operations by 2050. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

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.