VDOT News - Richmond

SOUTH CHESTERFIELD, Va. – Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Richmond District crews spent Saturday night and early Sunday morning assessing impacts caused by hundreds of fallen trees and a rash of downed power lines following Saturday’s ice storm. Looking ahead, crews will spend the coming days cutting and removing tree debris and coordinating closely with power providers to safely remove power lines from travel lanes. Primary focus will be on major routes and emergency service hubs, followed by lower volume secondary routes.

“It’s important to remember that this will be a marathon, rather than a sprint,” said Richmond District Infrastructure Manager Stephen Fritton. “Trees continue to fall at a rapid pace in the district, and crews are working hard to address them safely. We appreciate motorists’ patience as we move into a long term recovery effort.”

Refreeze on wet pavement is still a concern until temperatures rise. Crews are on the lookout for any slick spots and will treat them with salt and sand as necessary. Pavement conditions in the district are generally clear; however numerous routes are closed due to tree debris and utility lines.

Tips for drivers

• If traveling, use extra caution. Falling trees are still a factor as heavy ice from Saturday weighs down branches.
• Reduce your speed in case slick spots are present before temperatures rise Sunday.
• Report road hazards to VDOT at 800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623) or https://my.vdot.virginia.gov/.

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VDOT’s Richmond District oversees road maintenance 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 road maintenance for their secondary roads (numbered 600 and above) and subdivision streets. Cities that provide their own road maintenance 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.