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VDOT has New Tools to Respond to Winter Weather
The Virginia Department of Transportation has begun preparing for
the 2012-2013 winter season with 4,000 trucks and plows ready to clear
16,000 streets in Northern Virginia.
This year VDOT will also be implementing new tools to assist residents.
A mobile weather station for roads, a new 22,000-ton salt dome, a fleet
of trucks to help clear the I-495 Express Lanes, and a pilot program
where the public can track snow removal in their neighborhoods are among
the innovations the Virginia Department of Transportation will use this
winter in Northern Virginia.
Here is a complete list of what is new for winter 2012-13:
A web tool shows the status of plowing in Northern Virginia
neighborhoods. Once it snows more than two inches, residents in Fairfax,
Loudoun and Prince William counties can enter their address and see a
color-coded snow map that shows whether plowing is underway, completed or
not yet started in their neighborhood.
A truck-mounted weather station provides mobile measurements on road
conditions (dry, moist, wet, snow, ice), as well as surface, dew point
and air temperature, humidity and thickness of ice. This helps ensure
that crews do not over- or under-apply chemicals.
A super-sized salt dome located at the Beltway and Van Dorn Street was
added to help ensure that crews don’t run low on materials during severe
storms. The dome will hold 22,000 tons of salt – about three times the
capacity of a typical salt dome.
Four super-sized front loaders that can push snow with 20-foot wide
blades or scoop snow with massive buckets. This new equipment will help
clear interstates during severe storms.
Seven high-pressure flush trucks are dedicated to clearing snow and ice
that accumulates around the bollards that separate the new 495 Express
Lanes from the regular lanes.
A portable snow melter will be used in park-n-ride lots where massive
piles of snow take away needed parking spaces.
More equipment:
Nearly 4,000 trucks and plows, mostly contracted, are available for snow
and ice removal in northern Virginia. That’s 1,200 more trucks than
during the severe winter of 2010.
Expanded pre-treating: Crews will pre-treat 850 lane miles (up from 600)
of trouble spots including:
•350 lane miles (up from 300) on interstates 66, 95, 395, and 495 -
including bridges and ramps prone to freezing such as the Springfield
interchange and the Capital Beltway interchange at Route 1, with liquid
magnesium chloride.
•Another 500 lane miles (up from 300) on major roads, such as the
Fairfax County Parkway, routes 1, 7, 28, 29, 50 and 123, will be
pre-treated with salt brine.
More brine, less salt: As the pre-treatment program is expanded, the
need for salt to melt ice is reduced. Brine, which is 77 percent water
and 23 percent salt, is kinder to the environment and less costly.
Last winter’s budget for Northern Virginia was $55 million and $35
million was spent. This year’s budget is $55 million.
VDOT is responsible for 17,737 lane miles in Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince
William and Arlington counties (Arlington County maintains its own
secondary roads). About half of those miles are highways, and half are
neighborhood streets.
VDOT’s winter resources:
•For snow removal information: Visit http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/snow.asp
•To see the status of plowing in your neighborhood: http://novasnowplowing.virginia.gov
•For real-time traffic updates and road conditions: Visit www.511virginia.org, download the 511
smartphone app, or follow @511northernva on Twitter
•To report unplowed roads or hazardous conditions: Email
novainfo@vdot.virginia.gov or call 1-800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623)
•For general VDOT info: Follow VDOT on Facebook at www.facebook.com/VirginiaDOT, on
Twitter @VDOT, and visit
www.VirginiaDOT.org
FCPD DWI Efforts Aim for a Safe December
In an effort to keep December 2012 a safe and festive month for all,
Fairfax County Police are stepping up alcohol enforcement and education
efforts with extra DWI patrols, sobriety checkpoints and social media
messaging.
Last December (2011), officers arrested 372 drunk drivers as part of
their Safe December efforts. Of those, 85 were female and 287 were male.
That figure shows a 17 percent increase over 2010’s December DWI arrests.
In all, over 3,200 people were arrested for drunk driving in Fairfax
County in 2011.
Police urge residents to make their travel plans in advance of holiday
parties by designating a sober driver as drunk driving continues to be a
serious roadway danger. So far in 2012, 607 drivers have been involved in
a reported crash after consuming alcohol; 60 of these drivers were
underage at the time of the crash. The majority of the drivers were men;
481. Last December, there were 72 drivers involved in a reported crash
after consuming alcohol.
Drivers aren’t the only ones at risk when alcohol is involved;
pedestrians need to take precautions as well. Last year, 22 pedestrians
were reported struck while walking after consuming alcohol; two of them
were underage at the time they were struck.
In addition to additional DWI targeted patrols, motorists should expect
to encounter checkpoints across Fairfax County this month as they are an
additional deterrent and educational tool. The Public Information Office
will post information on their social media sites throughout the month in
an effort to remind residents of the dangers and consequences of impaired
driving. You may check for updates by going to https://www.facebook.com/fairfaxcountypolice?ref=ts&fref=ts.
Child Care Ordinance Amendments Approved by Board of
Supervisors
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved amendments to the
Fairfax County Home Child Care Facilities Ordinance after a public
hearing on November 20. These revisions become effective February 1,
2013.
Families and Community:
Chapter 30, Articles 1 and 3 of the County Code regulates Home Child
Care Facilities in which a person cares for five or fewer children. The
ordinance is intended to protect the health and safety of children who
receive care in family child care homes.
In response to the approved amendments, Fairfax County has scheduled
information sessions to help family child care providers understand the
changes in the ordinance. Join us at one of these community information
sessions.
Information Session Dates and Locations are included below:
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Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013, 7-9 p.m. Tysons Pimmit Regional Library, Large Meeting Room 7584 Leesburg Pike Falls Church, VA 22043 |
Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013, 7-9 p.m. Chantilly Regional Library Large Meeting Room 4000 Stringfellow Rd Chantilly, VA 20151 |
Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013, 7-9 p.m. Mount Vernon Governmental Center Room 1, 2, 3 2511 Parkers Lane Alexandria, VA 22306 |
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If any of these sessions is cancelled due to inclement weather, an additional session will be offered at this location: |
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Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013 7-9 p.m. Chantilly Regional Library Large Meeting Room 4000 Stringfellow Rd Chantilly, VA 20151 |
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Registration is not required to attend the information sessions. Seating
is first come, first serve. Providers will receive training credit for
attending.
Please note: They will be unable to accommodate children at these
sessions.
If you would like additional details regarding the approved ammendments
please visit fairfax County’s website at
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ofc/child-care-ordinance-changes.htm
If you have additional questions, please contact the Office for
Children, Community Education and Provider Services Division at
703-324-8000 or 8100, TTY 711.
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