VDOT Announces Lane Closures

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has suspended closures in observance of the Independence Day Holiday, starting at noon today, Wednesday, July 3, through noon Friday, July 5. 

The Virginia State Police report that during the 2011 July 4th holiday, 38 percent of the fatal crashes on the nation’s roads involved a driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter or higher. In Virginia last year, 10 percent of the crashes during the July 4th holiday were alcohol-related.

Please drive carefully this July 4th holiday!

Other Upcoming Lane Closures

VDOT also has announced a full closure of I-95 South, at Exit 152, Dumfries Road (Route 234) next Friday and Saturday nights, July 12 and 13 for steel beam installation. And nighttime full road closures of the I-95/395 reversible HOV lanes from Duke Street to Dumfries Road are scheduled to be closed next week Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights. During night time construction hours motorists will be able to access the I-395 HOV lanes north to Washington, D.C. at Seminary Road and Shirlington. All HOV lanes will be open to traffic by 5 a.m.


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Virginia State Police Increase Patrols for Memorial Day

Motorists who anticipate enjoying the extended time off from work by traveling on Memorial Day can expect to see an increase in Virginia State Police troopers on the road.

The additional patrols statewide are part of the annual Operation C.A.R.E., (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) to reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries associated with speed, failure to wear seatbelts and impaired driving. The state-sponsored, national program encourages law enforcement agencies to increase its visibility and traffic enforcement efforts on major travel holidays. As a result, state police will boost patrols around the Commonwealth through midnight tonight, Monday, May 27.

Virginia State Police will also continue its active participation in the nationwide Click-It-or-Ticket program, through June 2. The statewide traffic safety initiative is a collaborative effort among law enforcement agencies intended to draw attention to improve seat belt use among adults and increase child safety seat use -- with the ultimate goal of saving lives. During the 2011 May Click-It-Or-Ticket enforcement wave, Virginia State Police troopers issued 1,571 summonses for adults failing to wear safety belts and another 507 summonses for child safety restraint violations.

“By not wearing your seat belt, you are taking a gamble with your life -- so why take that risk?” said Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “Statistics have proven that wearing your seatbelt can help save your life or reduce your chance for injuries in a crash. It should be one of the first things you do when you get into a vehicle. Make the right choice, not just during a holiday weekend, but all year long and buckle up, watch your speed, and drive sober and distraction-free.”

The 2012 Operation C.A.R.E. initiative resulted in 11,577 speeders and 2,997 reckless drivers being stopped, and 137 drunk drivers being taken off the road and arrested. State police also investigated a total of 660 traffic crashes. During the 2012 Memorial Day weekend, 11 individuals lost their lives in traffic crashes statewide – at least ten of them were unbuckled. A total of 12 died in Virginia as a result of traffic crashes over the 2011 Memorial Day weekend and 11 people were killed during the 2010 holiday weekend.

As the Memorial Day holiday comes to a close tonight, please remember to drive safely today -- and every day!

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Stay Home and Off the Roads

Loudoun County officials continue to ask residents to stay home and off the roads because of extremely treacherous travel conditions.

Earlier today, Virginia State Police closed several ramps due to icy conditions, including:

• Westbound I-495 to southbound I-95
• Northbound I-95 to northbound I-495
• Franconia Road (Route 644) to southbound I-95

And the following roads were blocked due to snow-related incidents:

• Southbound I-495 at Braddock Road
• Northbound I-95 south of Lorton
• Northbound I-95 south of Quantico

For the latest Loudoun County traffic news and information, subscribe to Loudoun County Traffic via your favorite RSS reader, or get Loudoun County Traffic by e-mail.