A significant snow event is forecast for the Shenandoah Valley Wednesday night and into the day on Thursday. Snow amounts could approach eight inches or more in the region. People are advised to avoid travel in the pre-dawn hours of Thursday and into the day, when heaviest amounts of snow is predicted to fall.
Virginia Department of Transportation crews will be staged overnight so they can begin plowing and treating roadways when the snow begins. The VDOT Staunton District will have approximately 900 pieces of equipment deployed for this storm. Highways were not pre-treated with anti-icing brine due to forecasted rain on Wednesday.
If travel is necessary during the storm motorists are advised to give plows plenty of room to do their work. This helps to ensure the safety of the motoring public as well as plow drivers.
Motorists are advised to park off the street if possible to make room for plows.
When clearing a driveway it is best to shovel snow to the right of the driveway as you face the road. This action prevents plows from piling up snow at the driveway entrance. VDOT has prepared a video that addresses plowing and driveways:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vXkAAuvfBs&app=desktop
Motorists should keep in mind the following safety tips:
- Keep your car’s windows, mirrors and lights clear of snow and ice.
- Always wear your seat belt.
- Leave a few minutes early.
- Be aware of potentially icy areas such as shady spots and bridges.
- Keep a safe distance of at least five seconds behind other vehicles and trucks that are plowing the road.
- Don’t pass a snowplow or spreader unless it is absolutely necessary. Treat these as you would emergency-response vehicles.
- Drive smart and pay close attention. Don’t text and drive – it’s a secondary offense in Virginia.
For winter weather road conditions go to www.511Virginia.org, look at the orange bar on the top of the page and click on “Text Views” and then click on “Road Condition Table”. Look at the pull down box that lists all jurisdictions. In this box individual counties can be chosen to view.
Traffic alerts and traveler information also are available at 511Virginia.org. On the go? Then visit VDOT’s Free Virginia 511 Tools to get your 511 app for android or iOS. Traffic alerts and traveler information can be obtained by dialing 511.
For other assistance call the VDOT Customer Service Center, available 24 hours-a-day, seven days a week. Citizens can dial 1-800-FOR- ROAD (1-800-367-7623) from anywhere in the state to report road hazards, ask transportation questions, or get information related to Virginia’s roads.
The Staunton District Twitter feed is at @VaDOTStaunton. VDOT can be followed on Facebook, Flickr, Twitter andYouTube. RSS feeds are also available for statewide information. The VDOT Web page is located atwww.VirginiaDOT.org.
The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.
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Chris Graham
