VDOT News - Richmond

SOUTH CHESTERFIELD, Va. – Road conditions are improving in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Richmond District, but work to remove snow and treat roads is far from finished. Crews have plowed and treated most major routes and will shift their focus to major secondary routes and neighborhood streets in continued 24-hour operations.

“Crews are making great progress removing snow and applying salt and sand on routes in the district,” said Sean Nelson, Richmond District maintenance engineer. “However, we still have a lot of work to do. Drivers can help us out by limiting travel as much as possible tonight and Monday until roads are deemed safe. Wet pavement may freeze as temperatures drop tonight, so slick conditions may be present on roads that look otherwise clear.”

Major Route Updates

All interstate routes in the Richmond District, including I-64, I-85, I-95, I-195 and I-295 are passable with minor conditions present. Crews will continue treating these routes with salt and sand to reduce slick spots. Primary focus now is clearing slush from shoulders and gore areas to prevent snow melt from impacting travel lanes.

Major routes including Routes 1/301, 58, 60, 76 (Powhite Parkway), 150 (Chippenham Parkway), 250, 288, 360 and 460 (east of Nottoway) are passable with minor conditions present. Crews will continue treating these routes, especially slush-covered turn lanes and intersections, with salt and sand to reduce slick spots.

All other primary and secondary routes are in minor to moderate condition, with crews continuing work to plow and treat until conditions are safe and passable. Conditions can change quickly, so drivers should check 511 and local news sources if traveling is essential.

Additional Information

•  Street parking: Residents can help with snow removal efforts by parking vehicles in driveways or as far onto the road shoulder as they can. This provides the most space for snowplows to completely remove snow from neighborhood routes.
• Once it is safe to travel, clean snow and ice from your vehicle before starting a trip. This will improve your visibility of the road ahead, and it will prevent snow and ice from becoming a flying debris hazard for other travelers.
• Give VDOT crews space to work. If you must travel, keep a safe distance of at least five seconds behind trucks and other equipment that are plowing or treating the road. Do not pass a snowplow or spreader.
• Shoveling a driveway? Remember to shovel to the right while facing the street. This will reduce the amount of double work that may be required after a snowplow makes a pass along your street. Watch a VDOT video explaining how to avoid having snow pushed back into the end of your driveway.

 Road Condition Definitions

 During winter storms, road conditions are present on 511Virginia using three ratings: minor, moderate and severe. These terms are defined as the following:

•  Minor: Potential for patches of ice and snow on roadway; passable with caution.

• Moderate: Snow or ice is covering major portions of the roadway; passable with caution.

• Severe: A significant accumulation of snow or ice is blocking the roadway; conditions are hazardous. 

 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. 

 -END-

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.