The Virginia Department of Transportation is thinking snow. It may be a few weeks before winter weather moves in, but VDOT is prepared for its arrival with staffing, equipment and materials already in place.
“Our crews prepare for winter weather throughout the year,” said VDOT Commissioner Charles Kilpatrick. “When snow arrives, crew members will have the resources needed to get the job done. They’re trained to handle the worst conditions and when snow arrives, they’ll work around the clock to keep Virginia moving.”
Snow removal resources
- Approximately $214 million set aside for winter weather
- Approximately 2,500 VDOT crewmembers in addition to contractors available for snow removal statewide
- Approximately 12,868 pieces of snow-removal equipment, including trucks, loaders and motor graders
- 652,659 tons of salt, sand and treated abrasives and 1.6 million gallons of liquid calcium chloride and salt brine
What’s new or interesting about snow removal?
LED headlights being tested for increased visibility – LED headlights are being used in place of halogen lights on some plow trucks in the Lynchburg District. The lights will also be installed on trucks in some other parts of the state during the winter. They are mounted above the front fenders and are expected to increase visibility in snowy and foggy conditions.
Online snowplow tracker in Northern Virginia – If snow reaches two inches or more, VDOT activates an online neighborhood tracking map that monitors the status of plowing in the Northern Virginia district.
Making use of runoff – VDOT loads salt onto snow-removal trucks on a paved area called a mixing pad. Since that area is normally wet during the loading process, the runoff is directed either to impermeable ponds or underground tanks.
VDOT is reusing some of this water from the ponds or tanks to produce brine, a solution of salt and water, to turn an environmental challenge – disposing of that runoff – into something useful.
VDOT applies brine to roads in areas where feasible before winter storms. Brine can prevent frozen precipitation from bonding to the pavement, and it reduces the overall amount of salt used. Brine is also more environmentally friendly than salt.
Most salt facilities in VDOT’s Richmond District recycle this runoff into brine. The district used about 400,000 gallons of brine last winter, most of which came from runoff processed from its holding ponds.
Online
- Go to VDOT winter weather for more information.
- Watch VDOT Prepares for Snow and How to Properly Shovel your Driveway.
- Call 511 or go to 511virginia.org for the latest road conditions and traffic information.
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Chris Graham
