VDOT News - Richmond

SOUTH CHESTERFIELD, Va. – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Richmond District is closely monitoring forecasts for another winter weather event on the way Thursday.

Crews are still completing operations to address the remnants of a winter storm that impacted the Commonwealth on Monday, January 3. Some secondary routes (route numbers 600+) in Goochland, Powhatan and western Hanover counties remain closed or impacted by fallen tree debris, snow and ice. All other interstate, primary and secondary routes in the 14-county district are clear.

Tonight and tomorrow, crews will be pretreating interstates and major primary routes in the northern and western parts of the Richmond District, where weather may begin as snow rather than rain. Routes will be treated with saltwater brine to reduce the chance of ice bonding with pavement. Some major routes that will be pretreated include:

• I-64 from Shannon Hill (mile marker 148) in Goochland County to I-95 (mile marker 190) in the City of Richmond,
• I-95 from the James River Bridge (mile marker 74) in the City of Richmond to the Caroline County line,
• I-195 in the City of Richmond,
• Route 288 between Courthouse Road/Route 604 in Chesterfield County and I-64 in Goochland County, and
• I-295 between I-95 (mile marker 43) and I-64 (mile marker 53) in Henrico County. 

Over 1,400 pieces of equipment, including trucks, plows, tractors and motor graders, are ready in the Richmond District to address road impacts during and after the storm. Crews are again prepared to work in 12-hour rotating shifts, 24 hours a day, until roads are safe and passable. Interstate and primary routes (route numbers 1-599) will be addressed first, followed by secondary and neighborhood routes. Plows will be used on any snow that has reached 2 or more inches, and salt and sand will be applied to impacted routes.

“Richmond District crews are closely watching local and statewide forecasts to best prepare for the next storm,” said Gary Jennings, Acting Richmond District Maintenance Engineer. “While this storm does not appear to be as threatening for the district as Monday’s winter weather event, our teams are finalizing preparations for similar hazardous conditions such as ice, accumulating snow and falling trees.”

Tips for drivers

Forecasts indicate that the storm will begin as mostly rain Thursday evening in the Richmond District before transitioning to snow and ending overnight Thursday. Friday morning commutes may be impacted by slick conditions until temperatures rise. Crews will be patrolling district routes at all times for accumulating snow and ice to plow or treat as appropriate, but drivers are advised to delay nonessential travel. Follow safety guidance from local officials and resources.

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.