VDOT prioritizing major roads as ice creates hazardous driving conditions

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- After Monday’s snowfall and an overnight hard freeze, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews were back out early Tuesday, treating icy roads and working to clear problem areas across the region.

Officials are urging drivers on Tuesday, Dec. 9, to avoid traveling until conditions improve, warning that even a thin layer of ice can make secondary roads especially treacherous.

In parts of the state, ice remains visible on neighborhood streets and untreated pavement. While major routes are seeing steady retreatment, many side roads were still frozen solid, creating slick conditions for morning commuters.

VDOT says its teams are prioritizing state-maintained routes in the following order: interstates, primary roads and heavily used secondary roads that serve emergency services or carry significant traffic volume. Lower-volume roads, including neighborhood streets, will not be treated until those higher-priority areas are completed.

Officials say this strategy is necessary to ensure emergency vehicles and high-traffic corridors remain passable first, especially when resources are stretched across multiple counties facing the same freezing conditions.

VDOT is urging drivers to stay home if possible, emphasizing that icy patches may not be visible until it’s too late. For those who must travel, it's recommended you slow down, leave extra following distance and never attempt to pass a snowplow or treatment truck.

Drivers can check real-time conditions on VDOT’s 511 app or website.