VDOT News - Fredericksburg

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews in Fredericksburg District have staged staff, equipment and materials to respond to any hazardous travel conditions that develop this week from Hurricane Dorian.

High winds, heavy rain and coastal and tidal flooding are forecast to affect the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula on Thursday and Friday.

VDOT crews are ready to work around the clock as needed in emergency response. Crews will post warning signs for flooded and closed roads. Tree contractors are on standby to assist VDOT with tree and debris removal. Message boards are in position to warn travelers of high winds at major bridges. Earlier this week, crews performed additional drainage clearing in low-lying areas to keep water flowing off the roadway.

What Travelers Should Know

Before starting a trip, travelers are encouraged to check 511Virginia to see a list of real-time road conditions anywhere in Virginia. 511Virginia will report state-maintained roads partially or completely blocked due to flooding, debris, downed utility lines or other safety hazards.

Additional storm information: 

• Report downed trees, tree debris, or other roadway hazards to VDOT’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623) or online at https://my.vdot.virginia.gov. The Customer Service Center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Never drive across a flooded roadway. The underlying road or bridge may be damaged or completely washed away beneath flood waters, and a few inches of water can sweep vehicles downstream. Turn around, don’t drown!
• Avoid flood-prone areas, especially along creeks and other low-lying areas.
• Follow proper procedurewhen a traffic signal is completely dark, or flashing
• Keep headlights on while it’s raining: it’s the law.
• Be alert for tree limbs and other debris in the roadway. Even small branches and other debris can damage a car or cause the driver to lose control.
• If you come across a downed power line, do not try to move it. Contact your local authorities.

Ferry Service

Service on the Merry Point Ferry in Lancaster County and Sunnybank Ferry in Northumberland County was suspended Wednesday morning until further notice. Ferry travelers can check 511Virginia for real-time service updates.

High Wind Advisory Notices

VDOT will monitor sustained winds on several key crossings, including:

• Robert O. Norris Bridge, which carries Route 3 over the Rappahannock River between Lancaster and Middlesex counties
• Downing Bridge, which carries Route 360 traffic over the Rappahannock River between Richmond County and the Town of Tappahannock
• Route 223 bridge over Milford Haven, which connects mainland Mathews County with Gwynn's Island
• Eltham Bridge, which carries Route 30/Route 33 traffic over the Pamunkey River and connects the Town of West Point and New Kent County
• Lord Delaware Bridge, which carries Route 33 over the Mattaponi River and connects the Town of West Point and King and Queen County

If sustained winds reach 30 mph over a period of 30 minutes, or there are frequent wind gusts of 45 mph or greater, VDOT will post a high wind advisory notice on these bridges. High-profile vehicles such as tractor-trailers, box trucks and large vans and SUVs are advised to not cross these bridges when a high wind advisory is posted.

When sustained winds reach 45 mph or above over a period of 15 minutes, VDOT crews will post a bridge closure notice. However, bridges will not be physically barricaded.

Notices will be posted on message boards staged at the bridges, and communicated through VDOT news releases, VDOT social media platforms, and on 511Virginia.

511Virginia

Download the free mobile 511 app for Apple and Android devices to stay connected, or visit www.511virginia.org. Motorists also can reach 511Virginia by calling 511 from any phone in Virginia.

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VDOT’s 14-county Fredericksburg District includes the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford in the Fredericksburg area; Northumberland, Richmond, Lancaster and Westmoreland counties in the Northern Neck; Essex, Gloucester, King & Queen, King William, Mathews and Middlesex counties in the Middle Peninsula.

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.