Newsletter

Commuters brace for treacherous roads as snow shuts down Fairfax County

Updated at 12 p.m. — Fairfax Connector has suspended bus service due to the “deteriorating road conditions” caused by the ongoing snowstorm. Buses currently in operation will complete their routes.

Earlier: Fairfax County’s first snow of the season started falling early this morning (Monday) and has kept up a steady pace ever since, making roads hazardous while closing schools and many office jobs.

Heavy snow is expected with 5 to 10 inches accumulating, according to an updated National Weather Service winter storm warning for Fairfax County and much of the D.C. region that began at 1 a.m. and will continue through 4 p.m.

The heaviest amounts are projected to fall near and south of Route 50, with heavier snow running through the early afternoon, the NWS predicted.

“State plows are now on the roads,” Fairfax County said around 8:50 a.m. on Twitter. “If you’re out driving, please give them space.”

The Virginia Department of Transportation now has a website that allows users to track the progress of its snow plows.

As of 8 a.m. Virginia State Police responded to 82 traffic crashes across the Commonwealth and advised people to stay off roads.

“No injuries, just stuck/damaged vehicles caused by folks going too fast for conditions,” VSP said on Twitter.

The Fairfax County Police Department reported that a few roads had been closed due to snow as of 9:45 a.m., including:

A resident reported around 8:40 a.m. that several vehicles were stuck on Richmond Highway in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County.

Federal and local government offices have been closed for the day. The Fairfax County government closures include the courts, all Park Authority facilities and programs, and COVID-19 vaccination sites.

After announcing last night (Sunday) that schools would be closed to students with no virtual learning, Fairfax County Public Schools expanded its closure this morning to include all offices and COVID-19 testing sites.

The snow is affecting transit as well as drivers. While trains are currently operating as usual, Metro has now suspended bus service “due to rapidly deteriorating weather and hazardous road conditions throughout the region.”

“All buses currently in operation with customers will operate to the end of the line to complete their routes if safe to do so,” the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority said. “All other buses will hold at stops until roads are passable and safe to resume service.”

Metrorail remains in operation. De-icer trains and heaters have been deployed in an effort to keep rail lines free of snow and ice.

“Metro customers should allow additional travel time and use caution on platforms, escalators, parking lots and other areas that may be slippery,” WMATA said in a news release last night. “Metro will have plows and equipment deployed throughout the system to clear and treat parking lots, walkways and platforms.”

As of 9:40 a.m., Fairfax Connector is providing its regular service, but detours or service suspensions could take effect on a case-by-case basis depending on conditions.

Recent Stories

Looking down on Route 123 from McLean Metro station walkway (staff photo by Angela Woolsey) Some transportation projects on the horizon have sparked excitement among the Fairfax County Board of…

A New Jersey store that specializes in full-length dresses and other clothes for women has expanded its reach into Tysons Corner Center. Moda Natty opened a pop-up store next to…

In its quest to minimize waste, the vertical farm housed in a shed behind Merrifield’s Luther Jackson Middle School will one day be sustained by fish feces. Barely the length…

Morning Notes

A man walks a dog outside the Aperture apartments in Reston (staff photo by Angela Woolsey) Flags Lowered After Nashville School Shooting — “The U.S., state and county flags are…

×

Subscribe to our mailing list