Roads are reopening across Central Virginia as floodwaters recede, and VDOT crews continue making repairs to roads damaged by the second round of torrential rain and high water. At this hour, 32 roads in the Culpeper District are closed at this time, though as the water recedes more will likely reopen to traffic this evening.
As with the first round of storms in late May-early June, the majority of the damage was in Greene, Madison and Rappahannock counties. At the height of the storm about 90 roads were closed in the nine counties in VDOT’s Culpeper District. VDOT’s initial damage assessments are that most of the damage was to unpaved roads as well as some areas where streams overflowed their banks and destroyed culvert pipes and bridge approaches.
Madison County reports six roads are still closed; in Greene County three roads are closed. In Culpeper County 12 roads are listed as closed, but flooding is receding and most of those will likely reopen this evening. Louisa County reports four roads closed, Orange County has three road closures, Rappahannock County reports two roads closed, and Albemarle and Fauquier counties have one closure each.
VDOT crews worked through the weekend to repair washed out roads and damaged culverts and bridge approaches to restore access for residents who were cut off by the storms. VDOT is coordinating its efforts with local governments and emergency responders to identify those priority roads and make them passable as quickly as possible. As the water level drops crews continue inspections of roads and bridges that were flooded to ensure they are safe for travel before reopening them to traffic.
Although the water has receded in many places, there are some areas where roads are still covered with water. VDOT and other emergency response agencies remind drivers never to drive around barricades or through water flowing across a roadway. Six inches of moving water is enough to knock a person off their feet; 12 inches will sweep a car off the roadway. Remember: Turn Around, Don’t Drown. Drivers should also be alert for tree limbs, rocks and other debris deposited on the road shoulders by the swift-running water.
Drivers should check www.511virginia.org or the 511 mobile app for the most current information about road closures and follow @VaDOTCULP on Twitter for updates.
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Chris Graham
