RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — VDOT is still encouraging drivers to avoid unnecessary travel Monday.
If travel is a must, those behind the wheel should exercise caution while on roads as low overnight temperatures likely will result in icy pavement conditions during the early morning hours. Pavement may be especially slick on bridges, overpasses and ramps, which freeze first, and roads with lower traffic volumes and shaded spots.
Drivers should also be alert for pedestrians walking in roads, especially in urban areas where sidewalks may still be blocked with piles of snow. VDOT is not responsible for snow removal on sidewalks.
Across the Commonwealth, interstate and primary routes are mostly clear as crews focus on secondary routes and subdivisions. Residents are asked to remain patient as VDOT crews work aggressively to clear secondary roads and subdivision streets. Even though the snow has stopped, snow removal and cleanup continues and will be very extensive due to the volume of snow that has to be removed.
What’s good to know now:
- Motorists should avoid unnecessary travel as low overnight temperatures likely will result in icy pavement conditions.
- Crews continue 24-hour operations in the subdivisions. Crews are focused on making at least one pass in subdivisions, but expect these roads to be snow and ice covered, particularly in Northern Virginia. In many places don’t expect bare pavement for many days due to the volume of snow that has to be removed.
- Plowing subdivision streets is an enormous job – More than 48,000 miles of secondary and subdivision roads statewide, much of that in tight spots around cars and cul-de-sacs.
- VDOT and its contractors, 9,500 strong, are using all available resources, 13,000 pieces of equipment, including snow blowers, heavy equipment and all hired equipment to remove snow.
- If residents have a serious emergency (i.e. medical or fire), they should call 9-1-1 and VDOT will work in coordination with emergency responders to get them the help they need.
- In many neighborhoods, front-end loaders and motor graders will be required to move snow where there is not enough room to push.
- Crews are asked to be mindful of pushing large piles onto driveways, but in an extreme storm is an unintended consequence of making roads passable.
- To give crews a chance to finish their plow assignments, VDOT asks that residents wait 48 hours after the storm is over before reporting “missed” roads.
For more information:
Call VDOT’s Customer Service Center at I-800-367-7623 for more information, including plowing and treatment of roadways. You can also go to 511virginia.org to check the latest road conditions and view a network of 1,000 cameras that show the road conditions.
Visit virginiadot.org for general information on snow removal operations.
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