VDOT News - Culpeper

CULPEPER — After working all night, Virginia Department of Transportation crews are making progress clearing roads across the Culpeper District. Conditions vary greatly, with most primary highways, Interstate 64 and I-66 reported in minor condition with patches of snow and ice remaining on the roads. The fallen trees and power lines that closed I-64 yesterday afternoon have been cleared and all lanes are open.

U.S. 522 in Louisa County is closed near Route 657 (Apple Grove Road) due to a tractor-trailer crash with power lines involved. There is no estimate for the road reopening, drivers should use alternate routes. Route 20 (Scottsville Road) in Albemarle County between Route 627 (Carters Mountain Road) and Route 708 (Red Hill Road) is also closed due to multiple fallen trees with power lines tangled in them.

Most secondary roads are in moderate condition with large sections of the road covered with frozen snow, slush and ice. The exception is to the east, where secondary roads in Fluvanna and Louisa counties are in moderate to severe condition with deep snow in some places.

VDOT crews worked overnight to clear roads and are pushing onto secondary roads that have not yet been plowed. Crews will continue to work today until all roads are in passable condition. Progress is expected to be slow as many trees have also fallen on those roads and will need to be removed to allow plows to complete their work.

VDOT continues to caution against unnecessary travel on Tuesday. Any slush or water on the roads, even those that have been plowed, has frozen overnight and will remain slick until temperatures rise above freezing. Rising temperatures and sun forecast for Tuesday will help with melting as the plows continue working.

If you must drive:

• Postpone travel as long as possible to give crews time to treat roads
• Before you leave, check road conditions and traffic cameras along your route on VDOT’s traffic and travel web site, 511Virginia.org
• Allow plenty of time to reach your destination
• Keep a safe distance of at least five seconds behind the vehicle ahead of you
• Brake very lightly to keep your tires from slipping on pavement
• Do not pass snowplows

VDOT’s Customer Service Center is open 24 hours a day to answer questions and take reports of roadway hazards. Call 1-800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623) or contact us online at https://my.vdot.virginia.gov.

Additional information about winter-weather preparations and response can be found at www.virginiadot.org/travel/snow.asp. Local updates are posted to Twitter.com/VaDOTCulp and the district’s snow emergency webpage.

The Culpeper District includes the counties of Albemarle, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock.

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