HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - The Virginia Department of Transportation and its crews spent $10.5 million on last weekend's snow event. VDOT said Friday that it will spend "whatever it takes" this weekend to make sure the roadways are ready for essential travel.
"This is something we say in Hampton Roads: 'Prepare for the worst and hope for the best,'" said Jordan-Ashley Walker with VDOT.
Safety on the roads and for the crews is paramount, Walker said.
"We spent yesterday and this morning pre-treating the roads in advance of the storm, putting down 60,000 gallons of brine on interstates and primary roads to prevent ice from bonding to the pavement," Walker explained. "We have 325 trucks equipped with plows or spreaders. They can respond when precipitation begins. The salt helps break up precipitation and the sand adds more traction."
VDOT says morale is high and crews are working round the clock to respond to the storm.
"It's definitely a change to have back-to-back storms, but our crews are rested and ready to face this one," Walker said.
As for cities on the Southside, their preparations and response are as follows:
- Norfolk - 50 plow trucks, 21 salt spreaders
- Virginia Beach - 25 plows, over a dozen salt and sand spreaders
- Suffolk - 24 plows and spreaders
- Portsmouth - 10 plows and spreaders
- Chesapeake - 41 plows and spreaders
VDOT is asking you to stay off the roads. The safest place is staying inside — that way, crews can do their jobs and clear the snow and ice.
"Please do not crowd our plows, like don't zoom past them," Walker said. "Help us help you by clearing the roads and staying off them as long as possible."
For VDOT's plowing map, click here.
