VDOT News - Richmond

CULPEPER — The Virginia Department of Transportation’s debris removal contractors have completed their work in the Culpeper and Richmond districts. The crews collected 2,047,522 cubic yards of debris and transported 44,368 container loads of debris to several collection sites for chipping and disposal.

The toppled trees and broken branches were left behind by the winter storm of Jan. 3. During and immediately after the storm, “cut and toss” crews cut the fallen trees and branches and pushed them off the roadways, but the debris was left on the roadsides for cleanup later. That work has been under way since late February. To date the cost to remove the storm debris from roadsides in the Culpeper and Richmond districts is approximately $53.6 million.

“The Richmond District wants to thank the state crews and contractors who worked tirelessly to complete the debris removal process,” said Tanveer Chowdhury, Richmond District Maintenance Engineer. “On a project of this scale, an organization needs to demonstrate diligence and teamwork. Our crews went above and beyond. We also want to thank the traveling public for their patience as we worked to clear debris from the roadsides.”

Culpeper District Maintenance Engineer David Pearce echoed that appreciation. “This storm left an unprecedented amount of debris, and our crews responded quickly to keep roads, including Interstate 64, open during the storm. They then quickly pivoted to begin the cleanup while also beginning the complex task of coordinating their work with the debris removal contractors.”

VDOT maintenance crews are continuing to remove storm debris from secondary roads and neighborhood streets. That work is expected to continue for some time along with the crews’ regular maintenance activities.

In comparison, the derecho that swept across Virginia in 2012 left about 120,000 cubic yards of debris behind. “Although that cleanup was significant, it pales in comparison with the efforts required in the wake of the Jan. 3 snow storm,” Pearce said.

VDOT’s Richmond District is comprised of the counties of Amelia, Brunswick, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, New Kent, Nottoway, Powhatan and Prince George, as well as the primary roads in Henrico County. The Culpeper District covers the counties of Albemarle, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock.

VDOT’s Customer Service Center is open 24 hours a day to answer questions and take reports of roadway hazards. Call 1-800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623) or contact us online at https://my.vdot.virginia.gov.

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