VDOT Gearing Up for Winter Storm

With a significant winter weather event anticipated to impact Virginia on the weekend of January 24, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is gearing up for snow removal operations. VDOT is prepared for a multi-day response. Snow could fall heavily at times and create hazardous driving conditions.

Motorists are advised to monitor forecasts, get to their destination before the storm starts and avoid travelling until road conditions improve. This may be a longer duration storm, with extremely cold temperatures to follow resulting in refreeze and drivers may not see bare pavement until temperatures rise.

Ahead of the storm, VDOT’s Salem District started applying brine as a pretreatment to main roads on Thursday and will continue until complete. Once the snowfall begins, VDOT snowplow operators and contractors will be working in 12-hour shifts around the clock to plow roads. Drivers should be aware of the following:

As long as snow continues to fall, snowplow operators will be making multiple passes over the interstates, primary roads (those numbered 1-599) and high-volume secondary routes and will not proceed to low-volume secondary routes (those numbered 600 and above) or neighborhood streets. The major routes are VDOT’s top priority for snow removal during a weather event.

With the predicted impact of the storm, plows may not get to subdivisions for several days after the storm ends. This could take longer depending on the amount of snow we receive and the forecasted temperatures following the storm’s end.

With the possibility of prolonged periods of heavy or rapid snowfall, road conditions could change quickly. Plowed roads will become covered again with fresh layers of snow, and neighborhood streets will not be plowed until the snow stops and progress is made on the main routes.

Drivers are reminded to park in driveways where possible and not on the street.

VDOT does not plow snow on private roads or driveways. Residents are encouraged to shovel driveways to the right when facing the roadway to reduce how much snow a plow pushes back into a driveway as it passes.

Travelers can get real-time information on road conditions, traffic incidents and congestion on Virginia roads by using VDOT’s 511 free mobile app or phone system or on the 511 website at https://511.vdot.virginia.gov/ which can help travelers plan their routes accordingly.

The Salem District includes the counties of Bedford, Botetourt, Carroll, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Henry, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski, and Roanoke.

For more updates on local conditions in our area, follow us in our Facebook Community for Salem District at https://www.facebook.com/groups/VDOTSalem or on X @VaDOTSalem.

For questions or to report hazardous road conditions, contact VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center by visiting my.vdot.virginia.gov or calling 800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623).