Old Dominion News

An additional snowfall is anticipated during the morning rush hour in Fredericksburg and surrounding areas, including Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. The forecast predicts up to an inch of snow, potentially making roads slippery and hazardous despite previous plowing and treatment efforts.

Travelers are advised to avoid unnecessary travel until conditions improve. If travel is essential, caution is urged as temperatures remain below freezing, which may have led to frozen wet pavement overnight. Icy surfaces could be present on ramps, bridges, hills, curves, and less-traveled roads.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) continues its 24-hour operations with crews working in 12-hour shifts to ensure state-maintained roads are safe for travel. VDOT prioritizes interstates and primary roads first before moving on to major secondary routes that connect emergency services or experience high traffic volumes. Once these are clear, attention will shift to low-volume secondary roads and subdivision streets.

Road conditions vary across the 14-county VDOT Fredericksburg District based on snow accumulation:

- **Fredericksburg Area:** Interstate 95 in Caroline, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties is mostly clear but has isolated patches of snow with a risk of ice. Primary and high-volume secondary roads also show similar minor conditions.

- **Middle Peninsula:** Gloucester and Middlesex counties have moderate conditions on primary roads with visible pavement alongside snow cover. Other counties like Essex report minor conditions while secondary roads face severe challenges due to snow coverage.

- **Northern Neck:** Primary roads range from clear in King George County to moderate in Lancaster County. Secondary road conditions vary from minor in King George County to moderate elsewhere.

VDOT defines a "passable" road as one where an 8- to 10-foot path has been cleared for emergency vehicles; however, it may still be snow-packed without bare pavement or full curb-to-curb clearance. Sanding is applied at hills, curves, and intersections for better traction.

Wind gusts expected this afternoon could cause drifting snow in coastal areas of the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula or where fields meet roadways. Blowing snow might obscure visibility and re-cover plowed roads.

In terms of residential concerns about driveways being blocked by plows: "VDOT plow operators push snow off the roadway in smooth, continuous passes," which can result in driveways being blocked as they work efficiently across the region.