Ice a potential threat for Thursday morning commute

STAUNTON — (4 a.m.) Freezing rain and sleet could make travel hazardous on Thursday morning in many parts of the Shenandoah Valley and Alleghany Highlands. These conditions can result in an icy glaze on roads and other surfaces. Avoid non-essential travel until temperatures rise well above freezing later in the day.

Ice is expected to be most prevalent in the northern Shenandoah Valley and in higher elevations, including commuter routes such as Route 33 in Rockingham County and Route 211 in Page and Shenandoah counties. Bridges and overpasses typically freeze first due to cold air above and below the road surface.

The Virginia Department of Transportation has crews treating roadways as needed throughout the 11-county Staunton District and other parts of Virginia.

Weather and road conditions may vary around the state. For essential travel, check local weather sources and road conditions at 511 Virginia for your entire route before starting a trip.

The updated web address for 511Virginia is https://511.vdot.virginia.gov/. Mobile apps are also available for Android and iOS devices. 511 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. Roads with snow and ice conditions are marked minor, moderate, severe or closed.

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.

VDOT is responsible for snow removal on all state-maintained roads 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 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. 

Another information source is the VDOT website: https://www.vdot.virginia.gov, which includes a dedicated weather travel page.

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. See VDOT’s statewide and district social-media channels.

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