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VDOT Safety Service Patrol provides hurricane assistance

Posted at 12:05 PM, Oct 26, 2012
and last updated 2012-10-26 12:06:02-04

VIRGINIA BEACH– With the approach of Hurricane Sandy, VDOT's Safety Service Patrol (SSP) is prepared with additional resources to ensure that the roadways are clear and safe for travel in Hampton Roads. 

The SSP program is a free service that assists with incident management and provides roadside assistance to motorists.

An expansion program that began in late fall 2011 was recently completed to include five additional routes and a reinforced staff of 74. Through the expansion, SSPs are able to patrol more lane miles and provide faster response to roadway incidents.

During weather events, such as hurricanes, the SSPs perform an even greater role. “Additional SSP units will be on the road to respond to disabled motorists prior to and after the storm, and they will also be assisting emergency services with recovery efforts,” said Dennis Heuer, VDOT Hampton Roads District Administrator. 

The SSPs will operate on a normal patrol schedule until the onset of tropical force storm winds. For safety concerns, the SSPs will cease patrolling until wind speeds diminish. 

Based out of the Hampton Roads Transportation Operations Center in Virginia Beach, the expansion also includes the addition of an annex at Pine Chapel in Hampton to better serve motorists on the Peninsula.

The team works around-the-clock, seven days a week, 365 days a year to ensure continual coverage of the roadways along I-64, I-264,

I-464, I-564, I-664 and the 164 Freeway, covering 141 centerline miles a day.  Since January 2012, the SSPs have logged a combined total of more than two million miles and responded to more than 40,000 events.  

For more information on the Safety Service Patrol program, please see: www.virginiadot.org/travel/safetypatrol.asp