VDOT News - Culpeper

CULPEPER — Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation are on the roads this morning, prepared to respond to any reports of icing on highways. Rain is falling across the Piedmont region and is forecast to change to freezing rain during the morning commuting hours in the counties closest to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Freezing rain can quickly make roads icy and slick and is extremely hazardous for all drivers, even in four-wheel and all-wheel-drive vehicles.

Ice is likely to form first in areas where pavement temperatures are lowest. These spots include bridges, overpasses, and ramps and at elevations such as the mountain passes on Interstate 64 and U.S. 250 in Albemarle County, U.S. 33 at Swift Run Gap in Greene County, U.S. 211 at Thornton Gap and U.S. 522 at Chester Gap in Rappahannock County.

If travel is necessary this morning, drivers should pay attention to local weather forecasts and road conditions and plan to use extreme caution as road conditions may deteriorate quickly. As air temperatures fall, pavement temperatures will also drop, creating the potential for icy conditions through Thursday morning. 

VDOT crews are working across the state to respond to the storm. In the nine counties of the Culpeper District crews have been on duty overnight and will spread salt and sand to improve traction and melt ice when freezing precipitation begins. Since the storm began as rain brine was not used for this event since the rain would have washed it off the roads, rendering it ineffective.

Safety and Travel Resources

When winter weather arrives, residents and motorists should plan travel ahead of time, check road conditions, prepare an emergency car kit, follow forecasts and announcements and limit travel based on conditions. 

Prior to travel, motorists should visit 511virginia.org, call 511 or check the 511 Virginia mobile app for up-to-date information on road and traffic conditions. 

Local updates about conditions in VDOT’s Culpeper District are posted to Twitter.com/VaDOTCulp.

Visit VDOT’s winter weather page for more information about winter weather preparations and response.

For questions or to report hazardous road conditions, the public should contact VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center by visiting my.vdot.virginia.gov or calling 800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623).

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