VDOT Pre-treating roads

With winter weather anticipated to impact portions of Virginia on Thursday, January 6 and Friday, January 7, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is gearing up to treat and plow roads.

VDOT suggests that drivers plan travel around the forecasted weather event, as slick roads and rapidly changing conditions are possible, especially during the afternoon commute on Thursday and the morning hours on Friday. With cold pavement temperatures, many roads, particularly secondary roads and neighborhood streets (those numbered 600 and above) will become snow covered quickly.

On Wednesday and Thursday, VDOT crews and contractors will be pre-treating major roads and interstates ahead of the storm. Drivers should use caution around slower moving trucks that will be applying brine.

VDOT’s first priority in any winter weather event are the interstates and primary roads (those numbered 1-599) and high-volume secondary roads. Equipment operators will be making multiple passes over these major routes and will not work on low-volume secondary roads or neighborhood streets until the precipitation stops and progress is made on the main roads.

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 the www.511Virginia.org website and phone system, 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.