ROANOKE, Va. – As Virginia braces for another winter storm, travel and safety experts are urging residents to plan ahead to avoid dangerous situations. Crews from both the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and local city agencies are already on the roads, preparing for the upcoming weather conditions.
While crews aren’t making significant changes to their strategies compared to past storms, experts say the best option is to avoid traveling if possible.
Jason Bond, a VDOT spokesperson, said, “So today we are pretreating the main roads ahead of this storm with that brine solution that will help us to remove any snow that we see once it starts to accumulate.”
If the storm results in an icing event, VDOT crews are also ready to respond.
“We are also preparing our tree removal crews in the event we do see a significant icing event where we have down trees and debris in the roadway so we are ready to go to start removing those fallen trees if we see them,” Bond added.
Preparation goes beyond just clearing snow and ice—it’s about being proactive before the storm hits.
“We’ve gone through 10 thousand gallons of brine application or brine treatment which is a salt and water mixture that we usually put down when the road conditions are still dry prior to an event, so we’ve utilized a good bit of salt already today,” said Michael Venable, field operations manager for the City of Roanoke’s Public Works Department.
Both VDOT and Roanoke City Public Works are focusing on treating the main roads first, ensuring they are safe and drivable for those who absolutely have to travel. However, if you are on the road, experts warn to be cautious of the snowplows and other treatment vehicles.
“It’s very important you do not pass it, especially on the interstate,” Bond advised. “On the interstate, there will be snow plow trains where we have multiple snow plows, plowing multiple lanes in a single pass and so you really won’t be able to pass particularly on the interstate.”
With the storm approaching, agencies are urging everyone to stay prepared and avoid unnecessary travel, if possible, to ensure everyone’s safety.