VDOT News - Richmond

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

Crews are pretreating all interstates and major primary routes in the Richmond District, where weather is forecasted to begin as snow rather than rain. Routes will be treated with saltwater brine to reduce the chance of ice bonding with pavement. Pretreatment will begin in some areas today and will be complete by tomorrow evening.

“The forecast is still changing rapidly, but we are hard at work pretreating our routes and loading up our equipment. All of our supplies – fuel, salt, sand – are in good shape and we are prepared for whatever this storm may bring,” said Gary Jennings, Acting Richmond District Maintenance Engineer. “VDOT is dedicated to the safety of travelers and will work hard to address any hazardous conditions such as ice, accumulating snow and falling trees.”

Crews will 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 as needed.

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. Tree crews will be on standby across the district should any fallen trees impact routes.

Crews are still cleaning up debris from the winter storm that impacted the Commonwealth on Monday, January 3 on some secondary routes (route numbers 600+) in Goochland, Powhatan and western Hanover counties. Tree operations will be suspended at the onset of new winter weather, but will pick back up when the weather event is over.

Tips for drivers

• Forecasts are still evolving, but most have the storm beginning as snow overnight Saturday into Sunday or Sunday morning in the Richmond District. Crews will be patrolling district routes for accumulating snow and ice to plow or treat as appropriate, but drivers are advised to delay nonessential travel. Follow all safety guidance from local officials and resources, and prepare now before precipitation begins over the weekend.

• Give crews plenty of room to work; do not pass a snow plow. If drivers stay off the roads during a storm, transportation and public safety officials are better able to clear roadways and respond to emergencies quicker.

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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