VDOT crews continue to clear roads, treat icy patches

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) -With Sunday’s winter storm bringing a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain to Central Virginia, VDOT crews are working around the clock to clear and treat roads across the Commonwealth.

Sara Owens, a spokesperson for the VDOT Richmond District, said work to pre-treat the roads before Sunday’s wintry mischief started on Thursday.

As the snow and sleet fell across the Richmond area, Owens said their crews continued to treat these roads to make sure they were safe and passable.

“They’ll be looking for slick conditions and applying salt for melting and sand for traction,” said Owens.

This work comes as Virginia State Police respond to hundreds of crashes in Virginia.

From 12 a.m. on Sunday through 8 p.m., VSP said troopers have responded to 482 traffic crashes and 486 disabled vehicles.

VSP said a majority of those crashes have involved only damage to vehicles. VSP said there have been no traffic fatalities reported during this time period and reported a couple of crashes involving minor injuries.

The work for VDOT crews isn’t over as they continue to monitor the temperatures and the risk for refreezing overnight.

Owens said crews will work to treat those roads with salt and sand and monitor pavement temperatures across the district.

“We do have crews that drive around, but we also have pavement sensors,” said Owens. “There’s about 10 I believe in our district. You can actually find it on them on the 511 app. There’s a layer on there you can add and you can see what the pavement temperature is on 10 different areas within our district.”

VDOT is urging people to stay off the road, but for those who must travel during winter weather, be prepared with essential items, including:

Keep at least a half-tank of fuel in the vehicle
Carry a winter coat or blanket
Keep winter clothing in the vehicle: Heavy shoes or boots, gloves and a hat
A snow shovel and a bag of sand or cat litter
Jumper cables, a flashlight and batteries, ice scraper, phone charger and map (in case your phone battery goes dead)
Non-perishable snacks and water

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