| FREDERICKSBURG – Steady snowfall is forecast to fall across the Fredericksburg area, Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula from Tuesday morning through Wednesday morning, before changing to rain later Wednesday. Icy road surfaces are also possible from freezing rain and sleet mixing in with snow on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. Do not travel once the storm begins. Road surfaces are expected to quickly become slippery and hazardous for travel once snow begins to fall. With the storm’s arrival expected in Fredericksburg District during late morning Tuesday, travelers are warned that while road conditions may be clear early Tuesday, roads are anticipated to be treacherous and snow-covered by the afternoon and evening. Today, travelers should adjust their travel plans for tomorrow. Plan to arrive at your destination before the storm begins Tuesday, and to stay off the roads until the storm ends and road conditions have improved. Check local weather sources for forecasted weather and storm onset times for your entire route. In addition to being the safest choice for travelers, staying off the roads also assists Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews with snow removal and road treatment efforts. Lighter traffic provides more space for crews to plow snow and apply treatment materials and keeps lanes passable for emergency responders who must travel during the storm. Around 4-6 inches of snow accumulation is forecast for the Fredericksburg area, Northern Neck, and western Middle Peninsula. Lighter snow accumulation is forecast for the coastal areas of the Middle Peninsula near the Chesapeake Bay. Since this storm will begin with snow, VDOT crews were able to pre-treat Interstate 95 and primary roads across the district with a brine solution. Pre-treatment operations are finishing on Monday evening. VDOT will be mobilizing crews for weather response early Tuesday to have staff and equipment in place when snowfall begins. VDOT crews have more than 1,100 pieces of equipment available in Fredericksburg District to plow snow and apply sand, salt, and treatment materials More than 200 pieces of equipment are dedicated to plowing and treating I-95 in the Fredericksburg area. Crews will repeatedly circulate over the nearly 50 miles of interstate that passes through Caroline, Spotsylvania and Stafford counties and the City of Fredericksburg. A team of interstate monitors will drive the interstate to help identify any hazardous road conditions, and report crashes, disabled vehicles or other incidents. VDOT crews will continue working 24 hours a day, in 12-hour shifts, through the storm and afterward as needed to keep roads open and passable. Road Plowing and Treatment Priorities VDOT works to make interstates and primary roads passable first. Primary routes are numbered 1 to 599, and includes Route 610 in Stafford County. Crews also focus on plowing and treating major secondary roads (routes numbered 600 and higher) that connect to vital emergency and public facilities or those with high traffic volumes. Once conditions improve on these roads, crews will focus next on low-volume secondary roads and subdivision streets. A road in “passable” condition is defined as: - Crews have removed snow from an 8- to 10-foot-wide path that provides access for emergency vehicles
- Road is drivable with caution, but may be snow-packed and may not have bare pavement or be plowed curb-to-curb
- Crews will sand hills, curves, and intersections to help with traction
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