VDOT News - Fredericksburg

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Motorists are reminded that a winter storm is expected to create hazardous travel conditions in the Fredericksburg area, Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula on Friday and Saturday, with snow forecast to begin falling along the I-95 corridor in the Fredericksburg area this afternoon.

Travelers should plan to arrive at their destination ahead of this winter storm, or delay their trip until the storm has ended and road conditions have improved. Motorists should not travel during the storm. Travel is always hazardous when ice and snow are present on the road.

Several inches of snow are forecast for the Fredericksburg area, with heavier snow accumulation anticipated in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula.

Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews have finished pre-treatment of I-95 travel lanes, bridges, overpasses and ramps. This morning, crews are finishing pre-treatment along primary roads. Tanker trucks spray a brine solution on the pavement ahead of the storm, which can reduce icing and assists with snow removal. However, even on pre-treated roads, travel surfaces may quickly become slick and hazardous once snowfall begins.

High winds expected with this storm may lead to blowing or drifting snow, which could limit motorist visibility. High wind advisories may be posted on major bridges. Message boards are being placed at key river crossings in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula to notify travelers of high wind advisories.

VDOT crews will be in position when snow begins to fall. More than 100 pieces of equipment are dedicated to plowing and treating I-95 in the Fredericksburg area. Crews will repeatedly circulate over the nearly 50 miles of interstate that passes through Caroline, Spotsylvania and Stafford counties and the City of Fredericksburg. Six heavy-duty towing crews will be located along I-95 in the region, with two crews in each county. A team of interstate monitors will drive the interstate to quickly identify any hazardous road conditions, and report crashes, disabled vehicles or other incidents.

Across the 14-county district, around 730 trucks are available to plow snow and treat roads for icing and slick conditions. Crews focus first on plowing and treating roads that carry the most traffic, such as the interstate and primary routes, high-volume secondary roads, and roads that connect with critical emergency service facilities.

Tree contractors will be staged districtwide to help remove downed trees and debris that may block travel lanes.

VDOT's Fredericksburg District will have a unified command for this storm to coordinate VDOT’s response with emergency responders along the I-95 corridor in the Fredericksburg area, and this command will include representatives from Virginia State Police and surrounding localities.

VDOT crews will work 24 hours a day, in 12-hour shifts, until all state-maintained roads are safe for travel.

High Winds Protocol for Major Bridges

With gusting winds expected as part of this winter storm, VDOT will be monitoring wind speeds on major river crossings in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula, including:

• Norris Bridge, which carries Route 3 over the Rappahannock River between Lancaster and Middlesex counties
• Downing Bridge, which carries Route 360 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 the bridge when an advisory is posted. Trucks carrying small or empty loads may be especially at risk.

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.

The Route 223 bridge to Gwynn's Island in Mathews is currently closed to marine traffic openings for emergency mechanical repair.

Ferry Service

The Merry Point Ferry in Lancaster County and the Sunnybank Ferry in Northumberland County are operating as scheduled today, on Friday, Jan. 28.

Ferry service will be suspended on Saturday, Jan. 29.

511Virginia

Call 511, visit www.511Virginia.org, or use VDOT’s 511Virginia free mobile app to find real-time road conditions in any area of the state.

VDOT’s Customer Service Center

VDOT’s Customer Service Center is open 24 hours a day to answer questions and take reports of roadway hazards at 1-800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623).

VDOT Online Snow Plow Tracker

VDOT’s online snow plow tracking map will be activated once 2 inches of snow or more has accumulated.

VDOT and contractor trucks are equipped with automatic vehicle location technology, and can be monitored on the tracker during snow removal operations.

Additional Information

Follow VDOT on Twitter @VaDOT and @VaDOTFRED
Connect with us on Facebook on our VDOT page, and VDOT Fredericksburg District group page.
Find VDOT Fredericksburg District news releases online on VDOT’s website, www.VirginiaDOT.org, under “Newsroom.”

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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.