VDOT News - Richmond

SOUTH CHESTERFIELD, Va. – Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Richmond District crews worked through the night in response to a winter storm that swept the Commonwealth on Sunday, January 16. They continue addressing icy road conditions and plowing accumulated slush from travel lanes.

As of 3:30 a.m. Monday, most interstate, primary (numbered 1-599) and secondary (numbered 600+) routes in the Richmond District are in minor condition, meaning that pavement is bare except for isolated patches of ice or snow. The district’s northernmost and westernmost counties, including Goochland, Hanover and Nottoway, saw the highest snowfall amounts and their secondary routes are in moderate condition, meaning that there is snow or ice on major portions of the road.

Crews will continue working in 24-hour operations to remove ice and slush until all roads are deemed safe and passable. Accumulated ice will be broken down into slush using salt, and plowed away from travel lanes. Any remaining slick spots will continue to be treated with salt and sand.

“Temperatures remain low and pavement remains wet,” said Gary Jennings, Acting Richmond District Maintenance Engineer. “Icy conditions cannot be ruled out until pavement dries or temperatures come up. Crews are working hard today to address accumulated slush and ice on subdivision and neighborhood routes. We appreciate residents’ patience; please know that we are on our way to your area soon.”

Once winter weather operations from Sunday’s storm conclude, crews will resume tree debris removal operations from the winter storm that impacted the Commonwealth on Monday, January 3. Tree debris from last week’s storm has been relocated to the shoulders, and is not currently blocking travel lanes.

Tips for drivers and residents

• If travel is essential today, make sure to clear all snow off of your vehicle, including the roof. This prevents snow from flying onto other vehicles during travel and creating visibility hazards.
• Please give snow plows room and avoid passing them during winter weather operations.
• If you are parked on the street, please move your vehicle into your driveway. Snow plows are wide and this will allow them to fully access the road.
• Shovel snow to the left of your driveway entrance as you face the road to reduce snow blocking your driveway again when a plow comes through. A handy video on this shoveling trick is available on VDOT’s website.

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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VDOT’s Richmond District oversees snow removal activities on approximately 19,000 lane miles of roads in 14 counties in central Virginia: Amelia, Brunswick, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico (primary routes only), Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, New Kent, Nottoway, Powhatan and Prince George counties. Henrico County provides snow removal for their secondary roads (numbered 600 and above) and subdivision streets. Cities that provide their own snow removal include Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg and Richmond, and the towns of Ashland, Blackstone, Chase City and South Hill.

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.