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Virginia Winter Thanksgiving Travel: Even Salted I-95 Can Freeze
Richmond, VA – Virginia drivers preparing to travel Interstate 95, Interstate 81 and Interstate 64 this Thanksgiving may be putting too much confidence in something they see every winter: road salt. E
By Nolan Pierce · 2026-11-11T19:08:39.599Z
Richmond, VA – Virginia drivers preparing to travel Interstate 95, Interstate 81 and Interstate 64 this Thanksgiving may be putting too much confidence in something they see every winter: road salt. Even freshly treated highways can become dangerously icy when temperatures plunge, creating a hidden hazard for motorists traveling through some of the state's busiest interstate corridors.
According to winter maintenance guidance from transportation agencies, traditional road salt becomes increasingly less effective as pavement temperatures approach 20 degrees Fahrenheit, with its ice melting ability declining further as temperatures fall into the teens and single digits.
And that's where a common winter driving assumption can become dangerous.
Why Even Salted Virginia Highways Can Freeze Road salt isn't magic. It lowers the freezing point of water, helping melt ice and reduce freezing under suitable conditions.
However, as pavement temperatures fall, the melting process slows considerably. Around 20 degrees, conventional salt works much more slowly than it does near freezing. Below 15 degrees, salt alone may struggle to melt ice quickly enough to improve traction.
For motorists traveling through Richmond in Henrico County and surrounding areas, Fredericksburg in the Washington metropolitan region, Roanoke in Roanoke County and surrounding communities, and Winchester in Frederick County, that limitation matters.
Major routes including I 95, I 81, I 64 and I 66 can remain slippery despite treatment, particularly on bridges, overpasses, elevated ramps and mountain stretches in western Virginia.
Thanksgiving Travel Could Increase the Danger Thanksgiving falls Thursday, Nov. 26, bringing holiday travelers onto Virginia's major highways connecting Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads and the Shenandoah Valley.
If snow, freezing rain or rapidly falling temperatures develop during the holiday travel period, even treated highways could become dangerously slick.
The risk can increase overnight and early in the morning, when falling pavement temperatures allow moisture to refreeze.
The Virginia Department of Transportation uses multiple winter maintenance strategies, but no treatment guarantees ice free pavement under every condition.
Before departing, drivers should check National Weather Service forecasts and Virginia 511 for updated highway conditions.
The bottom line: A salted interstate is not necessarily a safe interstate. Motorists should reduce speed, increase following distances and remain alert for icy patches even when pavement appears clear.