VDOT Partners With Keep Virginia Beautiful To Promote Adopt-A-Highway Program

RICHMOND, Virginia – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) recently partnered with Keep Virginia Beautiful to help support the agency’s Adopt-a-Highway program. The agreement calls for Keep Virginia Beautiful to focus on engaging volunteers to participate in the program, which is aimed at beautifying roads throughout the commonwealth and preventing litter.

 Keep Virginia Beautiful will promote the Adopt-a-Highway program through its website, social media platforms and public relations channels as well as the organization’s many external partners. In addition to boosting the volunteer recruitment process, Keep Virginia Beautiful will educate the general public on the need, impact and benefits of an effective Adopt-a-Highway program.

 Adopt-a-Highway has involved numerous groups since it was first established in Virginia in 1988. It provides an opportunity for businesses, civic groups and even families to clean up litter and be recognized for their efforts with a sign featuring their name after two pickups have been documented. VDOT is confident that the partnership with Keep Virginia Beautiful will produce measurable results in the number of miles covered with regular litter cleanups and the recycling of collected waste, which will in turn translate into overall savings for the commonwealth.

 “We are pleased with this joint initiative between VDOT and Keep Virginia Beautiful, which will ensure that our Adopt-a-Highway program continues to provide Virginians with clean roads as they travel throughout the commonwealth,” said VDOT Commissioner Charles Kilpatrick.

 “Our goal is to raise awareness of the impact litter has on our environment and that it’s up to us to change our behavior and make a difference,” said Mike Baum, Executive Director of Keep Virginia Beautiful.

 Background

VDOT set up the Adopt-a-Highway program in 1988. Each year, nearly 18,000 Adopt-a-Highway volunteers collect more than 25,000 bags of waste along Virginia’s highways. It is estimated that these efforts save the commonwealth over $1.35 million that would have otherwise gone to clean up Virginia’s roads. Groups agree to adopt a two-mile stretch of highway in their community by picking up litter and recyclables at least twice a year for three years. In return, VDOT provides trash bags, vests, important safety information and highway signs that recognize the individual or group.

 For more information, please visit: http://www.virginiadot.org/programs/prog-aah-default.asp

 Established in 1953, the mission of Keep Virginia Beautiful is to “engage and unite Virginians to enhance our natural and scenic environment” through five focus areas: litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, beautification and environmental education. 

 For more information, please visit: http://keepvirginiabeautiful.org/

Avoid I-95 South During Upcoming Maintenance

Please note: Weather permitting, the new date for the second weekend of work is May 12-15. No roadwork will be performed on Neabsco Bridge May 5-8.

DALE CITY – Drivers are urged to avoid southbound I-95 in Dale City for two weekends, April 29-May 1 and May 12-15, as lanes will be closed for bridge deck repair. Congestion and delays are expected to be extensive.

• Southbound I-95 will be reduced from three to two lanes over Neabsco Creek (mile marker 156) from 9 p.m. Saturday, April 29 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 1, and again from 10 p.m. Friday, May 12 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 15.
• Ramps from eastbound and westbound Dale Boulevard to southbound I-95 will also be closed to all except emergency vehicles.
• The southbound car-only safety rest area will also be closed.

The bridge, originally built in 1963, has been regularly inspected and maintained, and remains safe, but is in urgent need of large-scale repairs to sections of the deck. The needed work will include saw-cutting and jackhammering out three bridge sections, the largest being 10 feet by 33 feet, replacing the reinforcing rebar, and pouring new concrete. Work will affect the bridge deck, joint, and abutment.

Due to the time needed to cut the large sections and set the concrete, completing this work over two weekends is necessary (as opposed to multiple overnight closures). VDOT also wants to ensure that the repairs are completed after spring breaks, but before heavy summer travel begins.

During the repairs, the 95 Express Lanes will remain open with toll pricing in effect and free travel for HOV-3 vehicles with E-ZPass Flex set to HOV mode. The lanes will be southbound beginning at 1 p.m. Friday to help alleviate backups, and will be monitored to change direction if needed. Drivers planning to head northbound on these weekends are asked to be aware of this, and to plan trips accordingly for heavier-than-usual return traffic, particularly on the two Sundays.

Drivers are urged to avoid southbound I-95, and to expect significant delays on all of the usual alternate routes.

Some alternate routes can be found at http://bit.ly/neabscobridge and are listed below.

Local drivers in Prince William County:

• East side: Route 1 southbound to Route 234 or Joplin Road northbound to I-95
• West side: Minnieville Road westbound to Spriggs Road southbound to Route 234 southbound to I-95

Regional drivers:

• East side: I-495 to Route 5 (Branch Avenue) southbound to Route 301 southbound to Route 206/218 westbound to I-95 southbound
• West side: I-495 to I-66 westbound to Route 29/15 to Route 17 southbound to I-95 southbound

All work is weather permitting.                       

Please note: Weather permitting, the new date for the second weekend of work is May 12-15. No roadwork will be performed on Neabsco Bridge May 5-8.

DALE CITY – Drivers are urged to avoid southbound I-95 in Dale City for two weekends, April 29-May 1 and May 12-15, as lanes will be closed for bridge deck repair. Congestion and delays are expected to be extensive.

• Southbound I-95 will be reduced from three to two lanes over Neabsco Creek (mile marker 156) from 9 p.m. Saturday, April 29 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 1, and again from 10 p.m. Friday, May 12 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 15.
• Ramps from eastbound and westbound Dale Boulevard to southbound I-95 will also be closed to all except emergency vehicles.
• The southbound car-only safety rest area will also be closed.

The bridge, originally built in 1963, has been regularly inspected and maintained, and remains safe, but is in urgent need of large-scale repairs to sections of the deck. The needed work will include saw-cutting and jackhammering out three bridge sections, the largest being 10 feet by 33 feet, replacing the reinforcing rebar, and pouring new concrete. Work will affect the bridge deck, joint, and abutment.

Due to the time needed to cut the large sections and set the concrete, completing this work over two weekends is necessary (as opposed to multiple overnight closures). VDOT also wants to ensure that the repairs are completed after spring breaks, but before heavy summer travel begins.

During the repairs, the 95 Express Lanes will remain open with toll pricing in effect and free travel for HOV-3 vehicles with E-ZPass Flex set to HOV mode. The lanes will be southbound beginning at 1 p.m. Friday to help alleviate backups, and will be monitored to change direction if needed. Drivers planning to head northbound on these weekends are asked to be aware of this, and to plan trips accordingly for heavier-than-usual return traffic, particularly on the two Sundays.

Drivers are urged to avoid southbound I-95, and to expect significant delays on all of the usual alternate routes.

Some alternate routes can be found at http://bit.ly/neabscobridge and are listed below.

Local drivers in Prince William County:

• East side: Route 1 southbound to Route 234 or Joplin Road northbound to I-95
• West side: Minnieville Road westbound to Spriggs Road southbound to Route 234 southbound to I-95

Regional drivers:

• East side: I-495 to Route 5 (Branch Avenue) southbound to Route 301 southbound to Route 206/218 westbound to I-95 southbound
• West side: I-495 to I-66 westbound to Route 29/15 to Route 17 southbound to I-95 southbound

All work is weather permitting.                       

511 Traffic Info Wherever You Go

The Virginia 511 system is your key to knowing what is on the road before you go. There are three free tools to give you the latest traffic information from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT): 

•  511 telephone system 
•  511 Virginia website 
•  511 Virginia smartphone app

511 Telephone

The 511 telephone service is an interactive, voice-activated traffic information system you can access by calling 511 from your land line or cell phone. 

To be safe, do not use a hand-held cell phone while driving. Instead, use a hands-free accessory so you can keep both hands on the wheel. 

Or better yet, call when you are stopped at one of VDOT’s safety rest areas.

511 Website

The site, at 511Virginia.org, is powered by a map, with 511 information placed in layers on top of it. 

Simply click on the icons for more information.

You may also register for a username and password to personalize the site. Note: If you had previously registered on the older version of 511Virgnia.org, you must recreate your account.

511 Smartphone Application

VDOT has introduced a 511 smartphone application to meet the growing trend of information on mobile devices.

The application works on phones and tablets that operate on the iPhone and Android platforms, the two most popular smartphone types.

These applications will tell you what incidents and construction will be on your predetermined route. You can also see traffic cameras on the apps.

Do not use these apps while you are driving. Distracted driving while using cell phones is a major cause of crashes.

• Get the iPhone app here
• Get the Android app here
• About 511
• 511 FAQs

Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse

A crash modification factor (CMF) is used to compute the expected number of crashes after implementing a countermeasure on a road or intersection. The Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse provides a searchable online database of CMFs along with guidance and resources on using CMFs in road safety practice. It also provides guidance to researchers on best practices for developing high quality CMFs.

Visit the Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse.

Avoid I-95 South During Upcoming Maintenance

Avoid I-95 South During Upcoming Maintenance
Two weekends of bridge deck repair; Drivers urged to use alternate routes

DALE CITY – Drivers are urged to avoid southbound I-95 in Dale City for two weekends, April 29-May 1 and May 5-8, as lanes will be closed for bridge deck repair. Congestion and delays are expected to be extensive.

• Southbound I-95 will be reduced from three to two lanes over Neabsco Creek (mile marker 156) from 9 p.m. Saturday, April 29 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 1, and again from 10 p.m. Friday, May 5 to 6 a.m. Monday, May 8.
• Ramps from eastbound and westbound Dale Boulevard to southbound I-95 will also be closed to all except emergency vehicles.
• The southbound car-only safety rest area will also be closed.

The bridge, originally built in 1963, has been regularly inspected and maintained, and remains safe, but is in urgent need of large-scale repairs to sections of the deck. The needed work will include saw-cutting and jackhammering out three bridge sections, the largest being 10 feet by 33 feet, replacing the reinforcing rebar, and pouring new concrete. Work will affect the bridge deck, joint, and abutment.

Due to the time needed to cut the large sections and set the concrete, completing this work over two weekends is necessary (as opposed to multiple overnight closures). VDOT also wants to ensure that the repairs are completed after spring breaks, but before heavy summer travel begins.

During the repairs, the 95 Express Lanes will remain open with toll pricing in effect and free travel for HOV-3 vehicles with E-ZPass Flex set to HOV mode. The lanes will be southbound beginning at 1 p.m. Friday to help alleviate backups, and will be monitored to change direction if needed. Drivers planning to head northbound on these weekends are asked to be aware of this, and to plan trips accordingly for heavier-than-usual return traffic, particularly on the two Sundays.

Drivers are urged to avoid southbound I-95, and to expect significant delays on all of the usual alternate routes.

Some alternate routes can be found at http://bit.ly/neabscobridge and are listed below.

Local drivers in Prince William County:

• East side: Route 1 southbound to Route 234 or Joplin Road northbound to I-95
• West side: Minnieville Road westbound to Spriggs Road southbound to Route 234 southbound to I-95

Regional drivers:

• East side: I-495 to Route 5 (Branch Avenue) southbound to Route 301 southbound to Route 206/218 westbound to I-95 southbound
• West side: I-495 to I-66 westbound to Route 29/15 to Route 17 southbound to I-95 southbound

All work is weather permitting.                       

Drive at 45! This stretch of Route 66 plays “America the Beautiful”

We’ve all had a musical moment in a car or truck. Admit it, when a favorite song unexpectedly comes on the radio, you’re not going to hesitate when it comes to belting out that power ballad and absolutely crushing the chorus.

The result might end up sounding like a howling Bassett Hound but, come on, who cares about being on-key when your vehicle is a rolling soundstage?

In this case and on this stretch of road, however, it’s your car that’s going to do the singing.

Take exit 175 off of Route 14, located about an hour south of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and you’ll find yourself on Route 333–better known as old Route 66.

Read the rest of the story and see the video here.