VDOT News - Statewide

RICHMOND, Va. – Wintry weather is impacting regions across Virginia, with some expected to accumulate several inches of snow. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is urging motorists to avoid travel during the storm to allow time for road conditions to improve.  

VDOT crews are working to clear roadways. However, winter weather is expected to persist throughout the day. Motorists are reminded to monitor local forecasts, as conditions vary across the state. Snow or ice on roadways means travel is hazardous and should be avoided.  

Key reminders: 

• Give crews time and room to plow and treat roads.
• Make travel arrangements to avoid travel during adverse weather.
• Clear any snow and ice from your vehicle before driving.
• Ensure headlights are on and speeds align with conditions.
• Visit www.511Virginia.org for the latest road conditions before traveling. If possible, avoid travel until precipitation stops and road conditions improve. 

Road-clearing priorities are as follows: 

• Interstates, primary roads and major secondary roads with vital emergency and public facilities, or those with high traffic volumes will be cleared first. 
• Secondary and subdivision streets will be treated in the event of a multi-day storm, but crews will focus efforts on roads that are traveled most. 

The safety of the traveling public and of the agency’s employees and partners is always VDOT’s top priority. To help protect the agency’s employees and partners, we are implementing new Virginia Department of Health COVID-19 safety protocols for equipment operator transfers.  

All operators are now required to properly wipe in and wipe out of their vehicles when entering and exiting. They are also required to wear face coverings and practice social distancing when interacting with each other or the public.  

While these additional safety precautions may increase the driver exchange timeline, crews will continue to work around the clock, as needed, in response to snow and ice events aligned with current practice. 

For more information on winter weather travel, visit http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/snow.asp. 

Resources:

• To report hazardous road conditions or talk to a customer service representative, call VDOT’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623) or visit online at my.vdot.virginia.gov.
• VDOT recently partnered with Waze to add a new feature to the navigation software app that allows users to report, in real-time during winter weather, when a road has not been plowed. It will also inform travelers when they are approaching a road that has been identified by other drivers as unplowed. 
• Traffic information is also available on Twitter @511statewideVA; for general VDOT information, follow @VaDOT. 

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