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Despite budget cuts for road construction, staff, VDOT has the resources to handle winter weather, it says Date published: 11/10/2009
By KELLY HANNON Early-season snow. Late-season snow. Ice. Drifting snow. Flurries. Whatever winter casts down on Fredericksburg-area highways, the Virginia Department of Transportation says the public should be assured that it has the staff, the vehicles, and the chemicals to handle it. "Even though we've had some reductions in our overall program, our focus is still on emergency management," said VDOT's Glenn McMillan, Fredericksburg District maintenance engineer. After a spring, summer and fall where budget cuts at VDOT and other state agencies have been in the news, the agency is emphasizing that nearly $80 million has been put aside for snow removal. An additional $14.1 million is just for clearing snow and ice on interstates and primary roads, like State Route 3 and North Stafford's Garrisonville Road. That's more money than was available last winter. Last year, VDOT budgeted $75.8 million for snow removal last year. It spent all of it, officials said. Not all winters are equal. Staffing an ice storm or snowstorm affecting all of Virginia, requiring full mobilization around the clock, costs $10 million a day. Manpower and equipment needs vary each year based on the type of precipitation and temperatures. "It's kind of luck of the draw," McMillan said. In VDOT's Fredericksburg District, a 14-county region, VDOT has 497 pieces of snow-removal equipment prepared to plow and scrape, spread salt and sand. Tanker trucks are ready to roll on Interstate 95 and area primary roads, applying a salt brine solution. When temperatures are in the 20s and warmer, it can prevent water from seeping into the pavement's pores and freezing. Last year, VDOT used brine--water that is 23.4 percent salt--for the first time on I-95 in the Fredericksburg area with good results, said David Stanley, VDOT's Fredericksburg Residency Administrator. Consequently, the brine program is being expanded this winter. Brine will now be applied to high-traffic primary roads in the Fredericksburg area in addition to I-95. VDOT can apply brine up to 48 hours before a storm, when traffic is light. "We can apply brine even while the sun is still shining," Stanley said. Brine will be used on all of Northern Virginia's interstates, including more than 50 bridges and ramps at the Springfield Interchange where I-95, I-395 and I-495 converge.
sounds like we are useing ocean water now.That should keep the car makers busy.
The Bangor Daily News in Virginia? I don't believe it!!
Having lived in Maine for the past 11 years and experienced the brine factor, I thought this article might be interesting to you in Fredericksburg. Granted, Maine uses a lot more of it than you will there but, forewarned is forearmed!
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/124583.html
Also read the comments.
VDOT is good at sitting (sometimes standing) around and waiting. I hope the new Gov. cleans house in VDOT HQ in Richmond.
The past couple of years I commuted several times a week well into MD (and stayed a week or so at a time on occasion) from the Fredericksburg area. It was astonishing to see the drastic difference in preparedness between the two states. While Virginia's interstates and highways were still covered in ice and clogged with VDOT vehicles, MD was smooth sailing. During the winter months, MD would have their state transportation department teams out a day ahead of time preparing, unlike VA, who waited.
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