VDOT gears up for snow season

Columbia Pike, Annandale, in 2016.

With snow in the forecast for this afternoon, here’s what you need to know to stay safe on the roads. And even if it doesn’t amount to much today, we’re likely to see some snow within the next few weeks.

The Virginia Department of Transportation stages snow crews 18 to 24 hours before a large snowstorm is predicted, and 12-18 hours before a smaller snowstorm. If more than 2 inches of snow is expected, residents might see trucks staged in neighborhoods.

To facilitate snowplowing, VDOT advises homeowners to park in driveways or on the side of the street with odd-numbered addresses. Don’t shovel driveways until the plows come through, as they will likely push snow back in.

Drivers should be sure to have enough gas, wiper fluid, full tires, and an emergency car kit.

To be informed about road conditions and closures in Fairfax County, sign up for Fairfax Alerts.

To see where VDOT is deploying snowplows, visit http://vdotplows.org/. For up-to-date information, follow VDOT’s Northern Virginia region on Twitter: @vadotnova.

VDOT says it is ready for winter 2020 with 3,500 pieces of equipment, 250,000 gallons of brine, 120,000 tons of salt, and 25,000 tons of sand. (As we noted in a previous article, however, road salt is bad for the environment, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality recommends alternatives.)

Related story: Winter road salt pollutes waterways

Brine is a mix of 23 percent salt and 77 percent water. It is sprayed as a liquid that dries to create white “brine lines” on the pavement.

After a storm dumps two to four inches of snow, VDOT’s goal is to have “passable roads” within 24 hours. It should take 24 hours if there is four to six inches of snow and 72 hours if there is more than six inches.

In neighborhoods, a road is considered passable if there is an eight to 10-foot path on packed snow for emergency vehicles.