A stretch of I-95 in the Fredericksburg area of Virginia reopened Tuesday night, Jan. 4, after a winter storm left motorists stranded on the highway—some for over 24 hours.
Drivers were stranded across 50 miles of the interstate from Monday to Tuesday night, according to a report from CNN. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) announced Monday that travel on I-95 northbound and southbound lanes came to a halt due to disabled vehicles and downed trees, which caused "significant congestion".
VDOT crews, in partnership with Virginia State Police and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, directed travelers stopped on I-95 to the nearest possible interchange between exit 104/Route 207 in Caroline County and exit 152/Dumfries in Prince William County, according to VDOT.
CNN says over a foot of snow hit the area on Monday, leading to stranded I-95 travelers overnight in addition to snarled traffic on other roads and a halted Amtrak passenger train.
According to a report from USA Today, the trouble on I-95 began when Monday when a truck jackknifed on the interstate, triggering a chain reaction of other vehicles losing control and blocking other travelers on the highway.
VDOT announced today that all disabled vehicles have been removed from the 40-mile section of the interstate. The department said winter maintenance crews made multiple passes with snowplows and motor graders to remove snow and ice, then treated the travel lanes with materials to safely reopen the interstate.
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SOURCE: Virginia DOT / CNN / USA Today
