CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — With snow, high winds and low temperatures, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is warning drivers to use caution on the roadways.
Motorists in the Culpeper District were urged to postpone non-essential travel. In the Richmond District, officials were concerned about the potential for refreeze of standing water on travel lanes.
According to a release, VDOT crews have been conducting treatment operations in impacted regions, including plowing in areas where at least two inches of snow accumulated on pavement, and spreading sand and salt on icy patches or slick spots as needed to improve traction. Crews are monitoring the roads until conditions improve.
“It’s just coming down pretty fast,” Tim Cary told 8News Saturday afternoon. “I’m driving slower than everybody else. I’m going my pace. If everybody else wants to speed, they can do that. But I’ve been in too many accidents to try to keep up with everybody.”
Cary was working in the middle of the wintry weather over the weekend. He said he was surprised to see so much snow falling because of the spring-like temperatures Central Virginia had experienced earlier in the week.
Saturday’s mix of weather started with rain earlier in the day, followed by a few hours of snowfall. But even after the snow stopped, VDOT was warning drivers to be careful, with some parts of the state under a high-wind advisory.
“Motorists must remain vigilant and alert while traveling overnight and in the morning, and should adapt speeds to road conditions,” a spokesperson said in a release. “There is no safe way to drive in icy conditions.”
Motorists who must travel in wintry weather are reminded to avoid passing snowplows and other heavy equipment, or following too closely, to allow VDOT crews room to work.
