Hundreds of drivers in Virginia ended up in a nightmare situation after getting stranded overnight in a snowstorm.
A 50-mile stretch of I-95 has been closed since Monday as crews continue work to remove stopped trucks, treat for icing, and plow snow. Some drivers have been stuck on the highway for almost 24 hours now.
The traffic jam in the Fredericksburg area, between Richmond and Washington, D.C., began Monday as a record-breaking winter storm hit the region. As the snow continued to fall, the backup grew larger and larger.
"We know many travelers have been stuck on Interstate 95 in our region for extraordinary periods of time over the past 24 hours, in some cases since Monday morning," Virginia Department of Transportation Fredericksburg engineer Marcie Parker said in a statement. "This is unprecedented, and we continue to steadily move stopped trucks to make progress toward restoring lanes."
Among those caught in the backup is U.S. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia. He spent the night trapped in traffic.
"I started my normal 2 hour drive to DC at 1pm yesterday. 19 hours later, I'm still not near the Capitol," Kaine tweeted along with a picture of his current view, the back of three semi-tucks.
Governor Ralph Northam said his office has been working with the Virginia Department of Transportation to respond to the situation.
"An emergency message is going to all stranded drivers connecting them to support, and the state is working with localities to open warming shelters as needed," Northam tweeted.
The governor added that state and local emergency personnel are continuing to clear downed trees, assist disabled vehicles and re-route drivers.
The department of transportation said crews are working to get traffic moving again by taking drivers stopped on the interstate off nearby interchanges to bring them to alternate routes.
Additional resources from across Virginia have been deployed to support debris removal, road treatment and clearance efforts on I-95 and state-maintained roads in the Fredericksburg area, with more trucks arriving Tuesday morning.
Sophia Colson, one of the motorists stranded on the stretch highway, told the Washington Post that she and several family members, including her diabetic brother, and her aunt who has one lung and needs oxygen, had been stuck for 19 hours. “We were able to keep starting the car up sometimes to keep warm, but then we cut it off. We were pretty cold when we woke up. We’re just starving at this point,” she shared, noting that they had diet Dr. Pepper but no water, and had eaten crackers and cookies.
The 34-year nail technician said that she heard people “yelling and screaming in frustration at the situation” and saw elderly people fall along the road. Some motorists attempted to walk along the highway after abandoning their vehicles, while others, like Colson's family, have stayed in their cars. “There’s nowhere to go. We’re trying to stay positive, but it feels like we’ve been abandoned,” she said.
"While I-95 remains closed, we continue to ask drivers in the Fredericksburg area to avoid travel with most roads in severe condition, meaning snow-covered with little to no visible pavement," VDOT Fredericksburg tweeted. "Travel is expected to remain hazardous for most of the day."
Even as travel lanes reopen, additional time will be needed to assist motorists who have been stopped for extended periods on I-95 overnight, and in some cases since Monday morning.
A winter storm brought more than 12 inches of snow to the Fredericksburg region. Road conditions on many primary and high-volume secondary roads remain snow-covered and blocked by downed trees.
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