VDOT Gets Out Snow Equipment
Virginia's transportation department seems determined to avoid a repeat of last week's icy disaster at the Springfield Interchange. Let's wish 'em luck today and later this week, if the forecast holds.
Today, VDOT said in an announcement, it's focusing on the bridges and overpasses, particularly at the Springfield Mixing Bowl. This includes pre-treating the ramps and bridges with 15 trucks with salt and sand and with four liquid magnesium tankers, the department said.
The trucks were stationed ahead of time at the ramps and bridges throughout the interchange, so they could treat the roadways ahead of any snow or ice. This will be the standard procedure for all future snow and ice storms, VDOT said.
Across its areas of responsibility in Northern Virginia, VDOT is sending out 722 salt and sand trucks. Besides the 114 trucks covering the interstates, there will be 317 trucks in Fairfax County, 101 trucks in Loudoun County and 190 trucks in Prince William County.
This may just be a test for the next wintry system that is likely to move in Thursday night and Friday. Get the latest from the Capital Weather Gang blog.
Last week, drivers know, there were problems with icy roads all across the Washington region, but Springfield stood out, because of the volume of traffic it handles and because of its 50 bridges. VDOT was unprepared, showing it still must learn how to handle this huge new people-moving machine it has created.
This writer also talks about what we can do to help ourselves.
Dear Dr. Gridlock:
The roads will be icy again very soon it appears. The promised solutions will look better, this once, until the last lesson is once more forgotten.
Why not tell people that four real snow/ice tires on a two-wheel drive sedan is better than all the 4x4 SUVs with regular tires or worse still "All Seeze-On" tires? Add in all this insane hastiness on the dry, the wet, or the slick roads and the commute is going to get worse no matter how many lanes are added to increase the "waiting room" that our roads have become.
As for the Severn River Bridge and the Springfield Interchange, many spots in Europe that have icing problems come equipped with barrels of abrasives and ice melting chemicals along with a scoop ... self help in a few minutes of work or hours parked looking for electronic sign salvation from VDOT, DDOT or MDOT!
Kurt Thiel
Arlington
I've seen such emergency barrels in Europe and also, I recall, out in the western states. But around here, I fear we'd see a bunch of drivers getting out of their vehicles and sliding across a bridge or ramp as they tried to reach the chemicals. We could lose more drivers than we save in such a congested area. What's your advice?
By |
February 20, 2008; 1:34 PM ET
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Posted by: Rich | February 20, 2008 4:53 PM
I forgot to mention, the idea of the barrels of ice melt or whatever is a nice idea in theory, but I suspect in practice it might be problematic when some fool kids go and tip the things over or dump the contents over the side of the bridge or some such as a prank. Have you noticed how there seems to be a plague of knocked-down median signs ("keep right" signs and the like) in the DC area these days? There's no way all those signs have been knocked down by lousy drivers alone.
Posted by: Rich | February 20, 2008 4:54 PM
Well obviously they wanted to do something so that atleast it looks like they were prepared for the storm. Especially after the complaints last week. I noticed a whole bunch of salt outside the white flint metro station today. And all we got were a few flurries. Maybe it will be helpful for Friday though...
Posted by: Laura | February 21, 2008 11:37 AM
What the hell was this?
Van Dorn Street Metro station was closed for two hours Wednesday for investigation of an individual struck by train
2/21/08
The Van Dorn Street Metrorail station reopened last evening around 7:45 p.m., following an investigation into reports that that an individual was struck by a Blue Line train at the Van Dorn Metrorail station around 5:45 p.m. The six-car train was heading toward Largo Town Center.
The Van Dorn Street and Franconia-Springfield Metrorail stations were closed around 6 p.m. as police and emergency responders investigated. Police could not immediately locate the individual and the investigation continues.
The Franconia-Springfield Metrorail station reopened just before 7 p.m. as Blue Line trains were able to share a single track between the Braddock Road and Franconia-Springfield Metrorail station at that time. Around 7:45 p.m., service was back to normal on the Blue Line and trains were again making stops at the Van Dorn Street and Franconia-Springfield Metrorail stations. Throughout the incident, Metro set up a shuttle bus service to help passengers around the incident area.
Metro Transit Police are asking any witnesses to call 202-962-1792.
Posted by: show me the body | February 21, 2008 4:16 PM
I heard about that as I was getting on metro home last night. Weird...
Posted by: Laura | February 21, 2008 5:20 PM
"reports"
show me the body!
Posted by: chasing after shadows | February 22, 2008 12:31 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
This statement amuses me: "This includes pre-treating the ramps and bridges with 15 trucks with salt and sand and with four liquid magnesium tankers, the department said."
Last week VDOT told us that pre-treating roads and overpasses is a waste and doesn't work. So which is it, folks?
(I'm going to the Capitals game and I'm hoping the traffic is gone by the time the game ends.)