Following snow and ice incidents and interstate crashes that choked highways for hours in recent months, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has released its long-term action plan to improve emergency response.
The report was presented to the Commonwealth Transportation Board at a meeting on May 14 and outlines 13 action steps to refocus VDOT as an emergency response agency.

“Today, we commit to the citizens of Virginia that we will live up to their expectations that VDOT, like fire departments and law-enforcement agencies, will provide critical emergency services during all unforeseen events,” said Commissioner David S. Ekern. “Our core mission includes keeping Virginians safe during inclement weather and other emergency events, and we will deliver on that responsibility.”

Following a Feb. 12 ice storm that shut down Northern Virginia’s Springfield Interchange for nine hours, VDOT is working to review its entire emergency response program to identify organizational hurdles, policy roadblocks, equipment shortfalls and training challenges that hindered its ability to respond to emergency events.
The long-term action plan was developed with input from transportation professionals, law-enforcement and EMS agencies, neighboring jurisdictions and the public.

The report addresses:

• Improving communications capabilities within VDOT and between emergency response agencies.
• Remodeling, renewing and relocating emergency response equipment to be more effective.
• Establishing the first-of-its-kind emergency response institute to train transportation crews in emergency procedures.
• Adopting industry best practices for emergency response and snow-and-ice removal.
• Expanding VDOT’s five regional traffic management centers into transportation operations centers that function as emergency response hubs.
• Breaking down geographic barriers to emergency response with consistent statewide efforts focused on the 23,000 miles of critical highways.
• Improving technology and traveler information to keep motorists informed about changing traffic conditions and emergency events while they are on the road and at home.
• Overcoming administrative barriers that hinder field operations and emergency response activities.

“This effort will not come without a cost,” Ekern told the Commonwealth Transportation Board. “However, this is a commitment worth making because it will significantly improve the safety of every Virginian traveling on our transportation network and will protect the quality of life throughout the commonwealth for years to come.”

Click here to read the entire plan.