NORFOLK, Va. — It's a scene that's hard to forget: thousands of drivers were stranded on I-95 for hours during a snowstorm earlier this year.
Workers with the Virginia Department of Transportation said they're doing what they can to prevent something similar from happening again.
VDOT said that in Hampton Roads, they've stocked up on 23,370 tons of salt, 179,900 gallons of brine, and 8,337 tons of sand. It's all to make sure the roads are safe if snow, sleet, or ice becomes a problem.
VDOT said this effort started months ago.
"Each year, we really start our preps for the winter season in June and July," said VDOT Hampton Roads District Maintenance Manager Bill Collier. "We start contacting contractors about who'd be willing to work for snow, and as we move into October, November, we start doing dry runs on the equipment, making sure everything is working. Stuff that's been sitting since March and April, we turn them on."
VDOT has more than 470 trucks and other equipment ready to clear snow and ice throughout Hampton Roads. The state agency also set aside $7 million for Hampton Roads this season.
VDOT crews also want to remind drivers to avoid their vehicles out on the road during a snowstorm, give them plenty of space to keep everybody safe.
If snow reaches two inches or more, VDOT activates an online neighborhood tracking map at vdotplows.org. Most VDOT trucks are equipped with automatic vehicle location technology, and many of them can be monitored on the tracker during snow removal operations.
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v-dot crews also want to remind drivers: if you see their vehicles out on the road during a snowstorm, give them plenty of space so you *and those workers stay safe.