WVDOT Urges Extreme Caution Following Major Winter Storm
After a significant winter weather system passed through West Virginia on the evening of Sunday, January 5, 2025, into Monday, January 6, West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) Secretary Jimmy Wriston, P.E., is urging drivers to use extreme caution on the roadways as crews work around the clock to treat, clear, and maintain the state’s highway system.
“If you don’t have to go out in stuff like this, just don’t,” Wriston said. “Stay at home if you can, but if you have to go, go slow and give these drivers a lot of room. There’s no reason to go fast in this kind of stuff because going fast can cost you a lot of time.”
State of Emergency and Interagency Coordination
On Sunday, Governor Jim Justice issued a State of Emergency for all 55 West Virginia counties ahead of the incoming storm. This declaration allowed state agencies to proactively coordinate by pre-positioning personnel, vehicles, equipment, and other essential assets.
This early declaration empowered the WVDOH, West Virginia National Guard, and emergency management officials to work deliberately to stay ahead of the storm. Together, they ensured roadways remained passable while continuously monitoring developments and coordinating efforts for a swift, effective response and rapid support if necessary.
With temperatures fluctuating from above to below freezing overnight, WVDOH workers battled snow, ice, rain, and wind. Despite these challenging elements, crews stuck to a strict, pre-planned treatment strategy to help make roads passable by Monday morning.
“We got a lot of pre-treating done in a lot of areas so that has helped us a bunch,” Wriston noted. “Our crews have really done a great job all night. We’ve had incidents and had challenges; we always do, but that’s the human element out on the roadways.”
Data-Driven Operations and Preparation
Secretary Wriston expressed deep appreciation for the crews who worked through the night, noting that their success is a direct result of meticulous preparation that began weeks before the first snowflake fell.
- Data-Driven Decisions: The agency relies on hard data to dictate its response strategy. Wriston emphasized that Snow Removal and Ice Control (SRIC) is not a simple productivity metric, but rather a deliberate activity that must be done slowly, methodically, and safely.
- November Dry Runs: WVDOH crews practiced their routes during proactive "dry runs" in November. This allows plow drivers to identify ditches, culverts, and other roadway elements that become invisible once covered in snow, ensuring they can navigate them safely during a real storm.
