VDOT News - Richmond

SOUTH CHESTERFIELD, Va. – Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Richmond District crews are on the roads Monday evening, addressing the potential for pavement refreeze as it develops.

Crews will treat slick spots on interstates with salt, which will increase the pavement temperature. On primary and secondary routes, VDOT will treat icy areas with a mixture of salt and sand, which provides traction.

Drivers are urged to use caution and reminded that black ice could be present when the pavement is wet and temperatures are near or below freezing. Be especially careful in areas that tend to freeze first, including bridges, ramps, overpasses, curves and shaded areas.

Current road conditions

As of 2:30 p.m. Monday, all interstate and primary routes (numbered 1-599) in the Richmond District are in clear condition. Almost all secondary routes (numbered 600+) are in minor condition, meaning that pavement is bare except for isolated patches of ice or snow. Secondary routes in Nottoway County remain in moderate condition, meaning that there is snow or ice on major portions of the road.

Crews will continue working in 24-hour operations to remove ice and slush from Sunday’s storm until all roads are deemed safe and passable. Accumulated ice will be broken down into slush using salt, and plowed away from travel lanes. Any remaining slick spots will continue to be treated with salt and sand.

Once winter weather operations from Sunday’s storm conclude, crews will resume tree debris removal operations from the winter storm that impacted the Commonwealth on Monday, January 3. Tree debris from last week’s storm has been relocated to the shoulders, and is not currently blocking travel lanes.

Tips for drivers and residents

• If you begin to skid, do not brake. Take your foot off the gas and steer the vehicle in the direction you want to go.
• Please give snow plows room and avoid passing them during winter weather operations.
• If your street still has snow accumulation and you are parked on the street, please move your vehicle into your driveway. Snow plows are wide and this will allow them to fully access the road.
• Shovel snow to the left of your driveway entrance as you face the road to reduce snow blocking your driveway again when a plow comes through. A handy video on this shoveling trick is available on VDOT’s website.

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.