Snow blankets Fauquier; motorists urged off roads

Wednesday, Mar. 6 | By Mark Grandstaff

The Virginia Department of Transportation urges Fauquier residents to stay off the roads as snow continues to fall throughout the day.

"All roads, including Interstate 64 and I-66, are in moderate condition, meaning that they are covered with snow and passable with caution," said VDOT spokesman Lou Hatter in a release. "VDOT is encouraging motorists to postpone non-essential travel until road conditions improve."

VDOT and contractor crews are focusing their snow-removal efforts on the interstate and primary highways this morning. As conditions on those roads improve, crews will move to the secondary roads and state-maintained subdivision streets, working until all roads are passable, Hatter said.

Several trees have been felled by heavy snow and wind gusts of up to 35 miles per hour, blocking roads throughout Fauquier. The county's power grid has suffered as well: 8,981 households are without power, customers from Dominion Power, Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative and Rappahannock Electric Cooperative.

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