By Becky Robinette Wright
Officials say that available Virginia State Police troopers, supervisors and dispatchers have been working through the night and morning across the Commonwealth to respond to the overwhelming number of traffic crashes and disabled vehicles resulting from the ongoing snowstorm. From 6 a.m. Friday through 12 p.m. Saturday, Virginia State Police statewide have responded to more than 4,000 calls for service to include traffic crashes and disabled vehicles. From midnight Saturday through noon Saturday, state police statewide have responded to more than 1,800 traffic crashes and disabled vehicles. The majority of the crashes have involved damaged vehicles without injuries.
To date, state police have investigated only one fatal weather-related traffic crash. State Police responded to the single-vehicle crash in Carroll County on Route 664 approximately 1/10 of a mile south of Route 662. Due to slick and snowy road conditions, a 2000 Chevrolet Blazer ran off the road and struck a fence and then an embankment. The Blazer overturned and the driver, Barbara L. Allen, 68, of Willis, Va., was thrown from the vehicle. Allen was not wearing a seat belt and died at the scene.
Interstate 81 is passable but slow-moving, especially through the New River Valley. The worst stretches of I-81 are in the more mountainous stretches – Buffalo Creek in Rockbridge County (187-195 mile markers) and Christiansburg Mountain in Montgomery County (118-130 mile markers). Stoppages continue to occur with recurring traffic crashes in the travel lanes. Interstate traffic cannot be re-routed off the interstates and around the crash because of the treacherous conditions of secondary roadways. Therefore, when a crash occurs traffic is stopped until the wreck is cleared.
State police are also working with local law enforcement along U.S. Route 29 to respond and clear crashes and disabled vehicles.
Those motorists stuck in traffic with emergency needs are encouraged to call State Police by dialing #77 on a cellular phone. Motorists are asked not to call 911 or #77 to get road conditions. For road conditions, please dial 511 on a cellular phone or go to www.511virginia.org.
State police are working closely with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Virginia National Guard and Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), as well as local governments to coordinate traffic crash response and sheltering efforts.
Those with holiday parties or travel plans for this weekend are advised to postpone them. Even as the storm moves through areas of the Commonwealth, roads will continue to be treacherous especially as temperatures drop Saturday evening and overnight.
