Virginia Officials Investigate Dozens of Crashes Amid Winter Storm, State of Emergency

Although much of Virginia is being impacted by the severe weather system dumping snow and freezing rain statewide, VSP spokesperson Matt Damien said not all the crashes are weather-related. In anticipation of the storm, Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency on Friday.

“If you find yourself needing to be on the roadways, please heed any warnings and make sure you are keeping yourselves and others safe,” said Youngkin in a statement on Friday.

As part of the commonwealth’s response, VSP has increased the number of troopers on the road working in 12-hour shifts.

The Virginia Department of Transportation advised motorists in several localities to stay off the roads Sunday afternoon into Monday, due to the projected hazardous driving conditions with the winter storm.

“Treacherous conditions are expected overnight into Monday morning as snow is predicted to fall at a rate of an inch an hour and accumulation could be as much as five to 12-inches in Northern Virginia, Winchester, Harrisonburg, Fredericksburg and parts of Central Virginia,” the agency said in a statement on Sunday.

The agency recommended against traveling “as a mixture of rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow will also cause hazardous driving conditions.”

VDOT said low temperatures are projected throughout the week and are expected to cause roadways to re-freeze and pose additional challenges for removal operations and driving conditions.

According to VDOT, the storm’s intensity will produce conditions that will require multi-day operations to make roadways passable, “which means travelers will not immediately see bare pavement. Snow removal operations will take time, and safety for crews and the traveling public is paramount. Having fewer cars on the road will help to keep everyone safe and allow crews to perform their jobs in a safer and more effective manner.”

VDOT said crews have already started treating areas in the western part of the Commonwealth. Crews are set up to begin plowing and treatment operations when conditions warrant.

VDOT’S Snow Removal Priorities 

VDOT is responsible for snow removal on all state-maintained roads, while all cities and some localities maintain their roads, including Arlington and Henrico counties. VDOT may support cities and towns, if requested.

The agency’s snow removal priorities are as follows:

Interstates and limited-access roadways are VDOT’s first priority.  Primary roads (routes numbered 1 to 599) and major secondary roads (routes numbered 600 and up) with vital emergency and public facilities, or those with high-traffic volumes, will be cleared along with interstate and limited-access roadways, as resources allow.  Low-volume secondary roads and subdivision streets will be treated after higher-priority routes are completed and additional resources are available.

by Nathaniel Cline, Virginia Mercury

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.