VDOT News - Richmond

SOUTH CHESTERFIELD, Va. – Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Richmond District crews continue treating slick spots, removing trees and branches from travel lanes and working closely with local power providers to remove fallen power lines. Although road conditions in the district may be clear in many locations, many routes are impassable due to fallen trees and the night ahead may be hazardous. 

As temperatures drop, crews will be on the lookout for refreeze, treating icy patches on roads with salt and sand. More fallen trees and power lines due to heavy ice accumulation cannot be ruled out overnight either. Coordination will continue in the days ahead to remove tree debris and power lines from travel lanes. Crews will first focus on primary routes and high volume secondary routes, working closely with emergency services to restore access to other roads. 

Pavement that is wet is likely to freeze overnight, especially in susceptible areas including overpasses, bridges, shaded areas, turns, curves and ramps. VDOT continues to urge drivers to postpone nonessential travel overnight, as conditions can change rapidly.  

For those that must travel, VDOT advises that drivers pay close attention to local forecasts, slow down and leave plenty of space between vehicles.

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.