VDOT – LYNCHBURG, Va.
After a taste of winter weather earlier this week, motorists should anticipate a more significant storm beginning as early as Saturday, January 30 and lasting into next week. Lynchburg District crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) are taking steps to prepare and hope you are too.
Currently, crews are pretreating major primary routes, such as US 29, US 58, US 501. Once precipitation begins to fall, crews will begin 24-hour operations working primary routes and major secondary routes. Lower volume secondary routes and subdivision streets will not be addressed until after the storm has ended and major routes are in good condition.
Drivers are encouraged to avoid travel, especially at the height of the storm, if possible and know the road conditions before travel. If traveling, give crews room to clear the roads.
During periods of heavy snow, plowing may cause snow to accumulate in roadside gutters, on road shoulders and may block driveways. VDOT asks that snow be shoveled to the right of the driveway as you face the road to prevent snow from piling up again if the road is re-plowed. In addition, snow should not be shoveled into the road and, if possible, clearing an area to the left of your driveway of snow will establish a small snow break.
Additional information, including road conditions may be found on VDOT’s website, www.virginiadot.org or 511 Virginia, www.511Virginia.org . Road hazards may be reported to VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center at 1-800- FOR-ROAD (1-800-367-7623).
Before, during and after this event, storm-related updates will be posted to the district’s Twitter account @VaDOTLynchburg. Statewide information may be viewed @VaDOT.
VDOT – CULPEPER — Crews in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Culpeper District are preparing today for the winter storm that is forecast to affect much of the Commonwealth starting Sunday into early next week.
VDOT encourages residents to pay close attention to weather forecasts and make storm preparations today and Saturday. Travel during the storm is likely to be hazardous and should be avoided.
Crews spent Friday pretreating primary routes as well as Interstate 64 in Albemarle and Louisa counties and I-66 in Fauquier County. The brine solution, consisting of salt and water, will prevent a bond from forming between the pavement and the snow and ice at the onset of the storm.
Once the precipitation begins, VDOT snowplow operators and contract crews will treat roads with salt and sand to aid melting and improve traction. When the snow accumulates to about two inches, the plows will push the snow off the roadways.
VDOT crews will work around the clock to clear roads, beginning with interstates and primary highways, then shifting to secondary roads and neighborhoods once the main roads are passable.
Additional information about winter-weather preparations and response can be found at www.virginiadot.org/travel/sn
The Culpeper District includes the counties of Albemarle, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock.
