HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - With snow in our forecast, cities across Hampton Roads are beginning to prepare for possible accumulation. While VDOT will handle major interstates and roadways, its up to local cities to take care of their roads.
In Virginia Beach, public works spent Tuesday connecting plows and adding sand to their trucks. According to Drew Lankford with Public Works, there will be more than 30 crews ready to take care of any snow on the roads. Lankford says crews will be focusing their efforts on primary and secondary roads. They will not be going into neighborhoods to plow.
Other cities also began their snow preparations on Tuesday. See how each city plans to handle snow in our forecast below.
Norfolk - A city spokesperson says public works will likely start brining downtown today. Bridges/overpasses will be handled tomorrow morning prior to snowfall. The city does not plow residential streets. Snow removal routes can be seen here.
Chesapeake - A complete guide to the city's snow removal plan can be found on their website.
Portsmouth - Snow removal plans and routes can be found on city website.
Suffolk - A city spokesperson tells News 3: Crews started brining primary roadways this morning. All four brine trucks are running along with support crews making the needed brine solution. Salt and sand stock piles are currently at 100%. Public Works crews started making practice runs for their snow plow routes in early November and feel confident they are up to the task for handling winter weather support needs. Staff continue to monitor weather conditions and standby to switch operations to 12 hour shifts as deemed necessary. All primary roadways are anticipated to be treated with a brine solution by noon tomorrow as well as most, if not all, of the major secondary routes. A link on the public work's website outlines their snow removal routes.
Hampton - Public Works plans to pre-treat main roads ahead of winter storm forecast for Wednesday. Wesbite says: "Public Works has 39 "snow clearing units" ready to use, including snow plows, salt spreaders and brine units. The majority of the Public Woks staff has been trained or cross-trained to use the equipment and provide 24-hour coverage in two shifts of 12 hours each. The city has 2,300 tons of salt,15,000 gallons of brine and 5,000 gallons of calcium chloride available. Those supplies can be replenished as needed."
Newport News - Public Works crews have been mounting equipment on trucks today and pre-treating streets with brine. City has 25 snow plows, 9 salt/sand spreaders and 3 brine units. Additionally, there is 1,000 tons of salt, 1,000 tons of sand and 1,000 tons of salt/sand mix on hand as well as 10,000 gallons of brine. Public Works crews will start 12 hour shifts tomorrow. Snow removal routes can be seen here.
