VDOT News - Richmond

SOUTH CHESTERFIELD, Va. – Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Richmond District crews are on the move Friday, preparing for forecast winter weather.  

Crews are preparing equipment and pretreating all interstates and major routes in the 14-county Richmond District. Routes will be treated with saltwater brine to reduce the chance of ice bonding with pavement. Pretreatment is expected to be complete by late Friday. Drivers should give teams plenty of space and expect delays if behind a pretreating operation. 

“Our crews are prepared for another winter storm,” said Gary Jennings, Acting Richmond District Maintenance Engineer. “It is really important that everyone keeps an eye on this forecast and knows winter weather is on the way. Saturday is expected to be warm, but drivers should be aware that conditions will not stay warm as we move into Sunday.”

The Richmond District has more than 1,400 pieces of equipment, including trucks, plows, tractors and motor graders at its disposal to address road impacts during and after winter weather events.

Tips for drivers

• Give pretreating crews and snow plows plenty of room (at least 100 feet) and don't pass them. Drivers may encounter slow-moving equipment on the roads during winter weather events.
• Follow all safety guidance from local officials and resources, and prepare now before precipitation begins over the weekend.

Information resources

511 Virginia
Before traveling, you can get the latest traffic conditions by using 511 Virginia. Call 511 from any phone in Virginia, visit www.511virginia.org or download the free mobile app at http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/511.asp#app.

Social media
Twitter: For area information, follow @VaDOTRVA and @511centralva

Facebook: Visit VDOT’s statewide page and follow the Richmond District group: https://www.facebook.com/VirginiaDOT

Customer service center
Report road hazards or ask road-related questions at VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center by calling 800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623) or using the online form available at https://my.vdot.virginia.gov/.

Additional resources
For more winter driving information, please visit VDOT's winter weather page. 

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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.

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.