Like the house guest that refuses to leave - the refreeze is once again spending the night on Shenandoah Valley area roads

STAUNTON – (4 p.m.) Virginia Department of Transportation crews and contractors will continue to clear Shenandoah Valley roadways. Interstate roads are clear. Most primary roads are in minor to clear condition. Expect lingering snow patches on some roads particularly in higher elevations. Many secondary roads have received at least one pass from a plow. Crews will be out on Tuesday night to monitor roads and plow and treat as needed.

Temperatures over the next several nights are forecasted to be below 20 degrees, allowing for any damp areas to refreeze. Motorists should be aware of possible icing on any roadway that appears wet or damp. Drivers should travel at slower speeds and allow for longer travel times. Remember to buckle up.

Here are the road conditions as of 4 p.m.:

• Interstate 64 – Clear in Alleghany, Rockbridge and Augusta counties.
• Interstate 66 – Clear in Warren County.
• Interstate 81 – Clear in Rockbridge, Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah and Frederick counties.
• Primary roads – Minor conditions in Clarke, Frederick, Highland, Shenandoah and Warren counties.  Clear conditions in Alleghany, Augusta, Bath, Page, Rockbridge and Rockingham Counties.
• Secondary roads – Moderate conditions in Alleghany, Augusta, Clark, Frederick, Page, Rockingham, Shenandoah and Warren counties. Minor conditions in Bath, Highland and Rockbridge counties.

VDOT is responsible for snow removal on all state-maintained roads, while all cities and some towns maintain their roads, including Arlington and Henrico counties. VDOT may support cities and towns, if requested. 

Snow removal priorities are as follows: 

• The Interstate Highway System and limited-access roadways are VDOT’s first priority.  
• Primary roads (routes numbered 1 to 599) and major secondary roads (routes numbered 600 and up) with vital emergency and public facilities, or those with high-traffic volumes, will be cleared along with interstate and limited-access roadways as resources allow.  
• Low-volume secondary roads and subdivision streets will be treated after higher-priority routes are completed and additional resources are available. 

For road information, check 511 at its updated URL and website: https://511.vdot.virginia.gov/. The 511 site has traffic cameras, current crash locations, weather conditions and more. The public can sign-up for 511 alerts to be sent to their personal device.

On the VDOT 511 website, roads with snow and ice conditions will be marked minor, moderate, severe or closed. To view a text listing of weather road conditions go to https://511.vdot.virginia.gov/, look at the blue bar on the top of the page and click on “Road Reports” and then click on “Road Conditions”. Look at the pull down box that lists all jurisdictions.  In this box individual counties can be chosen to view. Apps for Virginia’s 511 system are also available for android and iOS devices.

Road condition definitions:

• Closed – Road is closed to all traffic.
• Severe – drifting or partially blocked road.
• Moderate – snow or ice on major portions of the roadway.  
• Minor – bare pavement except for isolated spots of snow, ice or slush.  Driving with caution is recommended.

Another information source is the VDOT website at https://www.vdot.virginia.gov. Type in “winter weather” in the search bar located in the middle of the home page. Follow the links to the winter page for driving tips, snow removal procedures, travel kit items and additional resources.

The VDOT Customer Service Center can be accessed through its mobile friendly website at https://my.vdot.virginia.gov/. Agents are on site 24/7 every day of the year to assist the public. People can also call the VDOT Customer Service Center at 800-FOR- ROAD (800-367-7623).

The Staunton District X (Twitter) feed is at @VaDOTStaunton. The VDOT Staunton District has a group page on Facebook. Follow VDOT statewide accounts on Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube.

VDOT statewide X feeds can be found at @VaDOT. The nine districts can be found at: Hampton Roads @VaDOTHR; Richmond @VaDOTRVA; Northern Virginia @VaDOTNOVA; Fredericksburg @VaDOTFred; Culpeper @VaDOTCulp; Lynchburg @VaDOTLynchburg; Bristol @VaDOTBristol; Salem @VaDOTSalem; and Staunton @VaDOTStaunton.

The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.