Additional trucks and crews arrive in northern Virginia; drivers face white-out conditions

CHANTILLY – The Virginia Department of Transportation has brought in crews and more than 200 pieces of heavy equipment from Hampton Roads, Richmond, Salem and Lynchburg to assist with removing snow that continues to fall across northern Virginia. More than 2,000 trucks remain on the roads today, plowing and treating interstates, primary roads, and subdivision and side streets.

Because the 4x4 pickup trucks VDOT uses for a typical four- to six-inch storm cannot handle the deep snow still blanketing some northern Virginia neighborhoods, additional larger trucks and front loaders are working to clear remaining subdivision and side streets buried in the last storm. The additional crews will continue to clear neighborhoods as long as possible, until the trucks are needed again to address emergency routes, interstates and other high-volume roads.

Motorists are urged to stay off the road, as white-out and blizzard conditions are expected to last into the evening. Minimal visibility and high-drifting snow have made driving extremely dangerous. Crews out in full force also need the full width of many roads to navigate snowplow trains and put down chemicals.

Commuters are advised that the I-95/395 high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes will re-open either Thursday afternoon or Friday morning depending on road conditions.